The Adventures of Dick Maitland

The Adventures of

Dick Maitland

A Tale of Unknown Africa

BY

HARRY COLLINGWOOD

Author of "The Log of a Privateersraan "

"The Rover's Secret"

*'The Missing Merchantman" &c.

Illustrated by Alec 'Ball

BLACKIE & SON LIMITED

LONDON AND GLASGOW

Contents

Chap.

I. The Catastrophe

II, Dick makes up his Mind 22

III. Before the Mast - 37

IV. Phil Grosvenor's Proposition - . - 52
V. The Beginning of the Adventure- - - 69

VI, An Encounter with Lions _ . _ - 85

VII. The Makolo Country 101

VIII. King Lobelalatutu 116

IX, The Chief Witch Doctor's Plot - - -132

X. Dick's "Magic" 148

XI. The Place of Red Stones - - - - 166

XII. Life in the Wild 183

XIII. The Mysterious White Race - - - - 200

XIV. Prisoners - - - 217

XV. The Trial and Verdict 234

XVL Dick and Phil Prosper 251

XVII, Victory, Triumph, and— the End - 267

Illustrations

Facing
Page

The Chief Witch Doctor appears - Frontispiece

*Mpandula Salutes Dick and Phil - - - 128

Dick and Sekosini - - 144

Phil has a Narrow Escape 193

C327

THE CHIEF WITCH DOCTOR APPEARS

Frontispiece

]

C337

MPANDLLA SALUTES DICK AND PHIL

Pti^e I r9

C3=7

DICK AND SEKOSINI

Page 145

PHIL HAS A NARROW ESCAPE

Pa£-i^ 188

THE ADVENTURES OF

DICK MAITLAND

CHAPTER I

The Catastrophe

Doctor Julian Humphreys was spoken of by those

who believed that they knew him best as an eccentric;
because, being a physician and surgeon of quite un-
usual ability, he chose — possessing a small indepen-
dence amounting to a bare three hundred pounds per
annum — to establish himself in the East End of London,
and there devote himself with zeal and enthusiasm to
the amelioration of the sufferings of the very poor,
instead of capitalizing his income and setting up in
Harley Street, where his exceptional qualifications
would speedily and inevitably have brought him a

handsome fortune.

An income of three hundred pounds per annum — out
of which one has to feed, clothe, and house oneself —
does not afford very much scope for the practice of
philanthropy, as Dr. Humphreys very well knew; his
establishment, therefore, was of very modest dimen-
sions, consisting merely of three rooms with the usual
domestic offices, one room — the front and largest one —
being fitted up as surgery, dispensary, and consulting

9

lo Adventures of Dick Maitland

roonij while, of the other two, one served as a sleeping
apartment for himself and his pupil, Mr. Richard Mait-
land, *:he third being* sacred to Polly Nevis, a sturdy
and willing, but somewhat untidy person, who dis-
charged the united functions of parlour maid, house-
maid, chamber maid, cook, and scullery maid to the
establishment.

The large red lamp which shone over Dr. Humphreys'
door at night was the one and only picturesque feature

of Paradise Street — surely so named by an individual of
singularly caustic and sardonic humour, for anything

less suggestive of the delights of Paradise than the
squalid and malodorous street so named it would in-
deed be difficult to conceive — and in the course of the
four years during which it had been in position that
lamp had become a familiar object to every man,
woman, and child within a radius of at least a mile; for
the Doctor's fame had soon spread, and his clientele
comprised practically everybody within that radius.

The apparently insignificant event that initiated the
extraordinary series of adventures, of which this is the
narrative, occurred about the hour of 8 a.m. on a
certain day of September in the year of our Lord 19 — ;
and it consisted in the delivery by the postman of a
letter addressed to Mr. Richard Maitland, c/o Dr. J.
Humphreys, 19 Paradise Street, Whitechapel, E. The
letter. was addressed in the well-known handwriting of
Dick*s mother; but the recipient did not immediately
open it, for he was at the moment engaged in assisting
the Doctor to dress and bind up the wounds of Mrs.
William Taylor, whose husband, having returned home
furiously drunk upon the closing of the public houses
on the previous night, had proceeded to vent his spleen
upon his long-suffering wife, because, having no money
and nothing that she could pawn, she had failed to have
a hot supper ready for him upon his arrival.

The Catastrophe n

When, however, Mrs. Taylor, scarcely recognizable
because of the voluminous bandages that swathed her
head and face, and carrying with her a powerful odour
of iodoform, was bowed out of the surgery by Dr.
Humphreys, with a reminder — in reply to a murmur
that she had no money just then — that she was one
of his free patients, and a message from the Doctor
to Mr. William Taylor, which the poor woman had
not the remotest intention to deliver, Dick drew his
mother's letter from his pocket and opened it. As
he mastered its contents he went white to the lips,
as well he might; for this is what he read:

The Cedars,
14 South Hill, Sydenham.

Sept, lothj ig — .

** My dear Dick,

**I am sorry to De obliged to call you away
from your work, but I must ask you to please come
home to me as soon as you can possibly get away,
for I have just received news of so disastrous a char-
acter that I dare not put it upon paper. Besides, I
am so distracted that I scarcely know what I am
writing, as you will no doubt understand when I tell
you that we are ruined — absolutely and irretrievably
ruined ! Come as soon as you can, my dear, for I
feel as though I shall go out of my senses if I can-
not soon have someone to counsel me as to what is
the best thing to be done under these dreadful cir-
cumstances.

**Your loving but distracted mother,

'Edith Maitland."

'* Hillo, Dick! what's the matter?" exclaimed the
Doctor, catching a glimpse of his assistant's drawn
face and pallid lips as Maitland stared incredulously

12 Adventures of Dick Maitland

at the letter in his hand. ** Nothing wrong, I hope
You look as though you had just seen a ghost!"

"So I have; the ghosts of — many things," answered
Dick. ** Unless this letter is — but no, it is the dear
Mater's own handwriting beyond a doubt. Read it,
Doctor; there are no secrets in it." And Dick passed
the letter over to Humphreys.

"Phew!" whistled the Doctor, when he had read
the letter twice — from the date to the signature; "that
sounds pretty bad. You had better be off at once,
and get at the rights of the thing. And when you

have done so By the way, have you any friends

with whom you can consult, should you need help or
advice of any sort?"

" Not a soul in the world, so far as I know, unless
I may call you a friend. Doctor," answered Dick.
" Of course there is Cuthbertson, the family solicitor
and the sole executor of my father*s will ; but the
suggestion conveyed by this letter from my mother is
that something has somehow gone wrong with him,
and he may not be available."

"Quite so; he may not, as you say," agreed the
Doctor. " In that case, my dear Dick, come back to
me after you have become acquainted with all the
facts, and we will discuss the matter together. That
you may call me your friend goes without saying, as
you ought to know by this time ; and although I am
only an obscure East-End practitioner I am not
wholly without friends able and willing to do me, or
any friend of mine, a good turn, if necessary. So
come back here when you have threshed out the
matter, and we will see what — if anything — can be

done."

"Right! I will. And a thousand thanks to you
for this fresh evidence of your kindly feeling toward
me," exclaimed Dick, grasping the doctor's hand

The Catastrophe 13

"Are you quite sure that you will be able to g'et
along without me for a few hours?"

"Absolutely certain," was the cheery reply. "You
are a very clever young fellow, Dick, and have
proved a marvellously apt pupil since you have been
with me, but I managed this practice single-handed
before you came to me, and I have no doubt I can
do it again, if needs be. So be off with you at once,
my lad; for your mother seems to be in sore need of
you."

Five minutes later Dick Maitland had boarded a
tramcar, on his way to London Bridge railway
station, from whence he took train for the Crystal
Palace, the nearest station to his mother's home,
which he reached within two hours of his departure
from No. 19 Paradise Street.

Now, as Dick Maitland happens to be the hero of
this story it is necessary he should be properly intro-
duced to the reader, and this seems as appropriate a
moment as any.

To begin with, then, when we caught our first
glimpse of him, assisting Dr. Humphreys to dress
and bind up those tokens of affection which Mr,
William Taylor had bestowed upon his wife, Dick
Maitland was within three months of his eighteenth
birthday, a fine, tall, fairly good-looking, and athletic
specimen of the young public-school twentieth-century
Englishman. He was an only son; and his mother was
a widow, her husband having died when Dick was a
sturdy little toddler a trifle over three years of age.
Mrs. Maitland had been left quite comfortably off, her
husband having accumulated a sufficient sum to bring
her in an income of close upon seven hundred pounds
per annum. The provisions of Mr. Maitland's will
stipulated that the income arising from his carefully
chosen investments was to be enjoyed by his widow

14 Adventures of Dick Maitland

during her lifetime, subject to the proper maintenance
and education of their only son, Dick ; and upon the
demise of Mrs. Maitland the capital was to go to Dick,
to be employed by the latter as he might deem fit. But
a clause in the will stipulated that at the close of his
school career Dick was to be put to such business or
profession as the lad might choose, Mr. Maitland pithily
remarking that he did not believe in drones. But since
Mrs. Maitland, although a most excellent woman in
every respect, had no head for business, her husband
appointed honest old John Cuthbertson, his own and
his father's solicitor, sole executor of his will ; and so
died happily, in the full conviction that he had done
everything that was humanly possible to assure the
future welfare of his widow and infant son. And
faithfully had John Cuthbertson discharged his trust,
until in the fullness of years he had laid down the
burden of life, and his son Jonas had come to reign
in the office in his father's stead. This event had
occurred some three years previously, about the time
when Dick, having completed his school life, had
elected to take up the study of medicine and surgery.
This important step had involved many interviews
between Mrs. Maitland and ** Mr. Jonas", as the clerks
in his father's office had learned to call him; for the
said Mr. Jonas had succeeded to the executorship of
many wills — Mr. Maitland's among them — as well as
the other portions of his father's business ; and so great
had been the zeal and interest that he had displayed
during the necessary negotiations, that Mrs. Maitland
had been most favourably impressed. Indeed Jonas
Cuthbertson had honestly earned the very high opinion
that Mrs. Maitland had formed of him, displaying not
only interest and zeal but also a considerable amount of
acumen in the matter of Dick's placing. For, when
Mrs. Maitland, perhaps very naturally, expressed the

The Catastrophe 15

wish that Dick should begin his studies under the
guidance of some eminent Harley Street specialist, the
solicitor strenuously opposed the idea, not only upon
the score of expense, but also because, as he argued,
Dick would certainly acquire a wider knowledge of
diseases and their cure — and acquire it much more
quickly — under some hard-working practitioner among
the East-End poor of London ; and that, as he very
truly pointed out, was the great desideratum in such
a case as Dick's, far outweighing the extra hard work
and the sordid surroundings to which Mrs. Maitland
had at first so strenuously objected. Moreover, Dick
agreed with the solicitor; and in the end the maternal
objections were overcome, careful enquiries were insti-
tuted, and finally Dick found himself installed as a pupil
in the somewhat Bohemian establishment of Doctor
Julian Humphreys, M.D., M.R.C.P., M.R.C.S., and
several other letters of the alphabet. And, queer though
the arrangement was in many respects, it proved emi-
nently satisfactory to Dick ; for Dr. Humphreys was
not only an extraordinarily able physician and surgeon,
but also marvellously clever and learned outside the
bounds of his profession, gentle and tender-hearted as
a woman, and a thoroughly good fellow all round, in
the best and highest sense of the term. As for Dick,
he displayed from the outset a quite exceptional apti-
tude for the noble profession which he had chosen ;
study, instead of being irksome, was a pleasure — almost
a passion — with him; his nerves were steel, he never for
a moment lost his head even when assisting at the most
sickening operation ; his touch was light and sure ; and
knowledge seemed to come to him intuitively. No
wonder that Doctor Humphreys persistently predicted
a brilliant and successful career for his pupil.

Upon his arrival home Dick found his mother in such
an acute state of distress that for the first few moments

i6 Adventures of Dick Maitland

of their interview she seemed to be quite incapable ol
making any intelligible statement: she could do nothing
but weep copiously upon her stalwart son's shouldei
and gasp that they were ruined — utterly and irre-
trievably ruined! At length, however, the lad managed
to extract from Mrs. Maitland the statement that she
had seen, in the previous morning's papers, an account
of the suicide of Mr. Jonas Cuthbertson, a solicitor;
and, judging from the name and other particulars given
in the published account, that it must be their Mr.
Cuthbertson, she had hurried up to town and called at
Cuthbertson's chambers, where her worst apprehensions
had received complete and terrible confirmation. From
the particulars supplied by Mr. Herbert, Cuthbertson's
chief clerk, it appeared that ** Mr. Jonas", after walk-
ing worthily in his father's footsteps for two years, had
become infected with the gambling craze, and, first
losing all his own money, had finally laid hands upon
as much of his clients* property as he could obtain
access to, until, his ill luck still pursuing him, he had
lost that also, and then had sought to evade the conse-
quences of his misdeeds by blowing out his brains with
two shots from a revolver. This final act of folly had
been perpetrated two days before the account of it in
the papers had fallen under Mrs. Maitland's notice, and
in the interim there had, of course, been time only to
make a very cursory examination into the affairs of the
suicide, but that examination had sufficed to reveal the
appalling fact that every available security, both of his
own and of his clients, had disappeared, while sufficient
evidence had been discovered to show pretty clearly
what had led to their disappearance.

This was the sum and substance of Mrs. Maitland's
somewhat incoherently told story, and when Dick had
heard it through to the end he had no reason to doubt
its truth ; but manifestly it was not at all the sort of

(0 327)

The Catastrophe 17

story to be taken upon trust, it must be fully and com-
pletely investigated, if only for the purpose of ascer-
taining' whether or not anything, however small, was to
be saved from the wreck ; accordingly, after partaking

of a hasty lunch, young Maitland wended his way to the
City, and there had a most discouraging interview with
Mr. Herbert, who was by this time busily engaged
upon the preparation of a detailed statement of the
position of affairs, for the information of his late em-
ployer's clients and creditors. This, Mr. Herbert ex-
plained, was proving a task of much less difficulty than
he had anticipated, since Cuthbertson had apparently
kept an accurate account of all his gambling trans-
actions — some of which had, latterly, been upon a
gigantic scale — with the evidently desperate resolution
of recovering his former losses, or ruining himself in
the attempt, while he had not destroyed any of his
papers, as so many suicides do before perpetrating the
final act of folly. The position of affairs, as outlined
by Mr. Herbert, was gloomy enough, but he made it
clear to Dick that for the moment he was speaking
with reserve, as it was impossible for him to say
anything of an absolutely definite character until the
investigation — which was being conducted with the aid
of a firm of chartered accountants of high standing — ■
should be complete.

Having now ascertained all in connection with the
deplorable business that was for the moment possible,
Dick returned to his mother and did his best to comfort
and encourage her; but, as might have been expected,
his efforts met with no very great measure of success,
seeing that there was practically nothing of a comfort-
ing or encouraging character in the story told him by
Jonas Cuthbertson's chief clerk.

The next morning Dick Maitland returned to No. 19
Paradise Street, where he found his friend Humphreys

(0 327) 2

i8 Adventures of Dick Maitland

as busily engaged as ever in his work of healing the
sick and comforting the sorrowing poor, and received
a welcome from the cheery, genial medico that seemed
to ease his shoulders of at least half their load of
anxiety. But it was not until well on towards evening
that the claims upon the Doctor's time and attention
slackened sufficiently to afford an opportunity for Dick
to tell his story, which, after all, was only an amplified
edition of the story originally told in Mrs. Maitland's
letter.

When at length the tale was fully told, and Hum-
phreys had, by dint of much cross -questioning, fully
mastered all its miserable details, he sat for half an
hour or more, smoking diligently and silently as he
considered in what way he could best help his young
friend. At length, however, an idea seemed to occur
to him, for he looked up and said:

**Weil, Dick, my friend, it sounds about as bad as
anything that I have heard of for many a long day!
Why in the world did that fool of a lawyer want to
meddle with gambling? Why could he not have been
content to devote his energies to the conduct of the
business — a first-class one, according to his chief clerk's
account — which his father left him, and which would
have provided him with a very comfortable living all
his days and, probably, a snug competency to retire
upon when he found himself getting too old for work?
I tell you what it is, my boy; this mad craving to get
rich quickly is one of the great curses of these latter
days. When it once gets a firm grip upon its victim
it quickly converts the honest, upright man into a
conscienceless rogue, who soon becomes the centre of
a widespread circle of ruin and untold misery! Look
at this fellow Cuthbertson. He had an honest and
honourable father; and, as I understand you, was,
to start with, himself perfectly honest and honourable;

The Catastrophe 19

yet look at him now! What is he? Why, simply a
dishonoured corpse, hastily huddled away into a suicide's
grave; a man who, having utterly spoiled his life, has
presumptuously and prematurely hurried into the pre-
sence of his Maker, burdened not only with the heavy
load of his own sin but also with the responsibility for
all the ruin and misery which he has left behind him!
Moralizing, however, will not help you, my boy ; for
if I know anything at all about you it Is that you are
not the sort of character to make such a horrible mess
of your life as that poor wretch has done. But now,
the question is: What can I do to help you and your
respected mother out of this slough into which another
man's weakness and sin have plunged you both? Not
very much, I am afraid ; for I cannot restore to you the
property of which you are robbed. That appears to be
gone beyond recall. But I can do this for you — and it
may possibly help you a little — I can give you a letter
of introduction to a man who is under very heavy
obligations to me, and who — being a thoroughly good
fellow — will be more than glad to discharge those
obligations if I will only afford him the opportunity to
do so. You shall go to him and give him full and
complete particulars of this terrible misfortune that has
befallen you ; and if there is anything at all to be saved
out of the wreckage, he will save it for you, without
fee and without reward — for my sake. He, too, is a
solicitor, but an honest one, as many still are, thank
God; and it Is a solicitor whose aid will be most
useful to you in the unravelling of this tangled skein."
** I say, Doctor, that is awfully good of you," ex-
claimed Dick, struggling to conceal his emotion of
gratitude, after the manner of the Englishman, but not
altogether succeeding. ** If the matter concerned my-
self alone," he continued, ** I would not let you do this
thing for me ; but I must think of my poor mother, and

20 Adventures of Dick Maitland

for her sake must humble my pride and suppress the
assertion of my independence so far as to accept your
help, so kindly and generously offered. And here let
me say that there is no man on earth whose help I
would so willingly accept as yours," he blundered on,
dimly conscious that there had been something of
ungraciousness in his speech; and so stopped dead,
overcome with shame and confusion.

"That is all right, my dear boy," returned Hum-
phreys, smilingly laying his hand on Dick's shoulder;
**I know exactly how you feel, and very heartily re-
spect your sense of sturdy independence, which is very
estimable in its way, so long as it is not carried too
far. But, as a matter of fact, Dick, none of us is
absolutely independent in this world, for almost every
moment of our lives we are dependent upon somebody
for assistance, in one shape or another, and it is not
until that assistance is withheld that we are brought
to realize the extent to which we are individually
dependent upon our fellow creatures. But I am moral-
izing again — a habit which seems to be growing upon
me since I came among these poor folk down here,
and have been brought face to face with such a vast
amount of misery that can be directly traced to ignor-
ance and crime. Just pass me over that stationery
cabinet, will you? Thanks! Now I will write to my
friend Graham at once, and you had better call upon
him at his chambers in Lincoln's Inn to-morrow mor-
ning at ten o'clock sharp, which is about the only hour
of the day when you can be reasonably certain of
finding him."

When Dick called upon Humphreys' friend Graham,
upon the following morning, and sent in his letter of
introduction, he soon had abundant evidence that the
rising young solicitor was quite as busy a man as the
Doctor had represented him to be; yet he was not too

The Catastrophe 21

busy to respond promptly to his friend's claim upon
him, actually leaving an important-looking- client wait-
ing in his outer office while he interviewed Dick and
listened with the utmost patience to the story which
the latter had to tell, questioning him occasionally, and
making notes of his answers upon a writing pad. At
length, after an interview of over half an hour's dura-
tion, Graham closed the pad sharply and, rising, ex-
tended his hand to Dick, saying:

** Thank you, Mr. Maitland. I believe I have now
all the essential facts; and you may assure my friend
Humphreys that I will take up the case with the utmost
pleasure, and without loss of time; also that I will do
my best for you and your mother. From what you
tell me I am inclined to imagine that the wreck of
Cuthbertson's affairs will prove to be pretty complete,
therefore I very strongly advise you not to reckon

upon my being able to save anything for you out of
the wreckage; but if there should by any chance be
anything, you shall have it. And now, good morning!
I am very pleased to have made your acquaintance;
and as soon as I have anything definite to communicate
I will write to you. Remember me very kindly to
Humphreys. Good morning!"

The interview was certainly not very encouraging;
but on the other hand it was by no means disappoint-
ing; for Dick had already quite made up his mind that
every penny of his mother's money was lost. It was,
therefore, a very pleasant surprise to him when, about
a fortnight later, a letter came from Graham announc-
ing that he had succeeded in rescuing close upon five
hundred pounds for Mrs. Maitland from the ruins of
Cuthbertson's estate, and that the good lady could
have the money by presenting herself at the writer's
office and going through certain formalities.

CHAPTER II

Dick makes up His Mind

It was late in the evening of the day upon which Mrs.
Maitland, having fulfilled the formalities required of her
by Graham, had received from him a cheque for the
sum of four hundred and eighty-seven pounds, seven-
teen shillings, and eightpence, which, apart from the
house in which she lived, represented all that remained
to her of the very comfortable fortune left to her by
her late husband. Dick had escorted his mother up
to town, and, upon the conclusion of the transaction,
had taken her back to The Cedars ; after which he had
made the best of his way to 19 Paradise Street; for the
moment had now arrived when he must come to an
understanding with his friend Dr. Julian Humphreys,
and consult with him respecting the future. Ten
o'clock had struck a few minutes ago, a belated patient
had been attended to and dismissed, the surgery had
been closed by the simple process of drawing down
the blind and locking the outer door, and now the two
friends were sitting opposite each other in that same
drug-scented apartment, conversing earnestly together,
as Humphreys pulled contemplatively, yet somewhat
vexedly, at a brier pipe which had seen so much service
that it was now charred down to about half its original
size.

"The fact is," remarked Dick, in continuance of their

22

Dick makes up His Mind 23

conversation, "that there is no other course open to
me; for I am resolved that I will not touch a farthing
of the money that your friend Graham has so cleverly
rescued from the ruins of Cuthbertson's estate; every
stiver of it will be required for the maintenance of the
poor Mater while I am away. And I must go away,
because, as you yourself have admitted, there is no
employment or occupation of any kind here at home to
which, in my present condition of unpreparedness, I
could turn my hand with any hope of earning a suffi-
cient income to maintain her and myself, though ever
so modestly; even if posts were to be had for the
asking, which — in this country, at all events — they are
not. You know that to be the plain, unvarnished
truth, do you not?"

**Yes," Humphreys answered unhesitatingly, "it is
true — unfortunately. "

"Very well, then," Dick resumed; "that being the
case, the next question is : Where am I to go, and
what am I to do, in order to earn enough money to
maintain myself and my mother in the meantime, and
eventually to restore her to that position of security
of which she was robbed by that rascal Cuthbert-
son?"

"Z)^ mortuis nil nisi bonumf" reproved Humphreys
gravely. "The poor chap has gone to answer for his
sins, whatever they may have been, and there is an
end of him, so far as you are concerned. To rail at
him now, and speak of him disparagingly, will not hurt
him, or do you any good, Dick, my friend, so do not
unnecessarily bespatter his memory. This by the way.
And now to return to our muttons. The problem that
you propound is indeed a hard one to solve; to many it
would probably appear an impossibility. But, although
I am by no means an old man, I have been long enough
in this world to have recognized that what many

24 Adventures of Dick Maitland

people deem impossibilities are nothing of the sort, if
only one has the grit to face and tackle them. It is
grit, my boy, that makes impossibilities possible, and
I believe you possess that quality in sufficient measure
to enable you to accomplish great things. The question
is : What is the particular great thing which will meet
your case? What is the work which you are best fitted
to do? You are already very well up in the profession
which you have chosen. There is many a man in success-
ful practice to-day who knows less about it than you do;
but, unfortunately, you are not yet * qualified', there-
fore you cannot set up for yourself, even if you could
afford the time to create a practice — which you cannot.
And as to becoming an unqualified assistant, that of
course is out of the question ; the pay is altogether too
poor to justify the entertainment of that idea. But
there are countries where the restrictions are not nearly
so great as they are in England ; and there are others —
beyond the pale of civilization — where no restrictions at
all exist, and where a clever man, with plenty of grit to
back him up, might perhaps do remarkably well. Still,
to penetrate to such countries a man must take his
life in his hands, and, even then, all his courage may
prove insufficient to save him from an unspeakable,
horrible death. Now, what can you do besides doctor-
ing?"

*' Nothing that will help me in my present strait,"
answered Maitland. **I can sail a boat, swim, ride,
or drive a horse, and I can shoot straight; conse-
quently if I possessed sufficient influence I might be able
to get a job as groom, stableman, or even under-game-
keeper. But none of those things is good enough for
me ; I am capable of better things than grooming
horses, cleaning harness, or looking after pheasants ;
I want employment that will bring me in good money,
and I mean to have it too."

Dick makes up His Mind 25

"That^s right, Dick; that's the way to talk," re-
turned Humphreys approvingly. ** Modesty is all
right, a very desirable and admirable quality in every
young man's character, and one which is seen far too
seldom nowadays. Modesty, however, is one thing,
and self-depreciation quite another. It is a mistake for
anyone to underrate his own value, and, as you very
truly say, you are capable of doing much better work
than that needed in either of the occupations that you
have named; therefore you are justified in insisting
upon having it. A man has a perfect right to the very
best and most profitable work he is capable of doing;
but he must get it for himself; it is no use for him to
sit down supinely and demand that Providence shall
put it into his hands. The man who is worth his salt
will get up and * hustle' — as the Americans tersely
express it — and not rest until he has secured what he
wants. Now, you, my boy, are very heavily handi-
capped. You have neither money nor influence to help
you to what you want, therefore you will have to
depend upon * hustle' and grit alone; also you have no
time to waste in looking about in this country for the
kind of thing you want, which, even with all the * hustle*
and grit imaginable, may take you months, or even years,
to find. No, as you said at the beginning of this con-
versation, you must go somewhere abroad to get what
you want; and in a foreign land you may find even such
despised accomplishments as riding, swimming, and
straight shooting of the utmost value to you. But in
my opinion your mainstay must be the medical and
surgical knowledge which you have acquired. Now,
whereabout on the face of this old globe of ours are you
likely to be able to employ your knowledge to the best
and most profitable account? It should be where
wealth is abundant, and where medical and surgical
skill is pretty frequently in demand, also where there

26 Adventures of Dick Maitland

is plenty of scope for a young fellow who, like yourself,
is imbued with the spirit of adventure. Now, let me
consider for a moment — where is the country which
most nearly answers to these conditions? What do
you say to South Africa? It is the land of gold and
diamonds; it is not, I believe, overrun with medical
men; and as to adventure — '* Humphreys shrugged his
shoulders and spread his hands abroad expressively.

Dick's eyes sparkled and his face lit up with en-
thusiasm.

'* South Africa is the place for me, without a doubt,"
he exclaimed with animation. ** It is, as you say, rich;

it is also a land of unbounded possibilities ; and But

how am I to get there? The passage money amounts
to something considerable, and I have no money to
spare for that sort of thing; also, as I have said, I
will not take a penny from the Mater."

**What about borrowing?" suggested Humphreys.
** As you know, Dick, I am not a rich man, but I have
no doubt I could manage to "

"No!" interrupted Dick emphatically; '*a thousand
times no. It is like you, Doctor, to offer to help me
out of your own exceedingly limited means, and I am
more grateful to you than I have words to express;
but I simply will not avail myself of your kindness, or
that of anybody else indeed, for I should be starting
with a millstone of debt hanging round my neck. No,
I have thought of a better way than that ; I will work
my passage out."

*'Work your passage out!" ejaculated the Doctor,
staggered, in spite of his wholehearted belief in the
virtues of self-help, at this bold suggestion on Dick's
part. "In what capacity, pray?"

"Oh, as anything!'* returned Dick buoyantly; "as
ordinary seaman, cook's mate, stoker — what does it
matter? I will find a way, never fear. I'll take a

Dick makes up His Mind 27

trot round the docks to-morrow, and it will be strange
indeed if I cannot somewhere find a market for my
labour. Why, even the elementary knowledge of nau-
tical matters that I have acquired in sailing my little
single-handed cutter during holiday time will be of
service to me. I can steer, I can box the compass,
I know the name of every sail on a full-rigged ship;
and I will guarantee that before I have been forty-
eight hours out I will know the function of every bit
of running rigging, and where to lay my hand upon it
in the dark."

**Aye, ril bet that you will, Dick," answered Hum-
phreys, with enthusiasm as great as Dick's own, ** And
I have not much doubt as to your being able to get a
berth as ordinary seaman; for you are a big strong
fellow, and for mere pulling and hauling purposes any
skipper ought to be glad to get hold of you. Yes, I
think we may consider that part of your problem solved.
But what about after your arrival in South Africa?
How do you propose to proceed at the end of the
voyage when you have safely landed? For you must
remember that in all probability you will have no wages
to draw; people who work their passages are usually
shipped at the princely rate of pay of one shilling per
month,"

**Yes, I know," said Dick. ** Still, I shall have
reached the scene of my great endeavour without cost,
and that is the important thing. After that I shall of
course be obliged to trust to my own push and * hustle',
as you call it, for it is impossible to make any de-
finite plans at this distance from the scene of opera-
tions."

"Quite so," agreed Humphreys. **And you must
also remember that there is always the element of
luck, or chance, or whatever you please to call it, in
the background, and to be watched for. Opportunity

28 Adventures of Dick Maitland

often presents itself literally at a moment's notice and
m the most unexpected fashion, and the one who profits
by it is he who is alert enough to seize it as it passes.
But there is one thing you must do, Dick; you must
take with you a well-stocked chest of drugs, as well as
your case of surgical instruments; and, since you will
not let me lend you any money to help you on your
way, you must allow me to make you a present of that
medicine chest just as a token of my appreciation of
the way in which you have conducted yourself as my

pupil Nay, boy, you must not refuse me, for if

you do I shall be deeply hurt as well as seriously
offended."

** Very well, then," acquiesced Dick, "since you put
it in that way, and so very strongly, I will accept your
generous gift with a thousand most hearty thanks, not
only for the gift itself, but also for the kindly feeling
that prompts it."

*'My dear Dick," protested Humphreys, ** there is
really no reason at all why you should feel so extra-
ordinarily grateful, for in doing what I propose to do
I shall only be very inadequately repaying you for
much valuable assistance rendered, and much very
pleasant companionship during the time of your pupil-
age with me. And do not think that because I have
not expressed much voluble regret at this abrupt sever-
ance of our connection I do not feel it, for I do very
keenly, I assure you; but I see quite clearly that the
thing is inevitable, therefore to complain about it would
be both useless and foolish.

** Now, there is one other way in which I can help
you; and when I have explained to you how tremen-
dous is the power which I propose to place in your
hands you will understand, more clearly than I could
show you in any other way, the absolute trust that I
repose in you. For I tell you this, Dick, in all sin-

Dick makes up His Mind 29

cerity, there is not another person in the whole circle
of my acquaintance — and it is pretty wide — whom I
feel I could safely trust with this power, so potent is
it for evil as well as good. But I am convinced that
I can trust you; and that is why I have determined to
endow you with the ability to perform deeds which to
many people will seem positively miraculous.

**You have often expressed amazement at the uni-
form success which attends my treatment of even my
most difficult cases, both medical and surgical, but
especially the surgical ; and I know, from the remarks
you have made, that you attribute those successes
purely to the extent of my knowledge. Well, of
course, knowledge has something to do with it ; but
the true secret of my success lies in the free use which
I make of hypnotism. Yes, no doubt you are sur-
prised; for you have never seen me employ any of the
well-known methods of the ordinary hypnotist. Very
true. But my method Is not the ordinary method at
all; it is one which I claim as my own exclusive dis-
covery, and it is as far in advance of ordinary hypno-
tism as that is in advance of the methods of the stage
hypnotist.

** Almost at the outset of my professional career I
directed my attention to the investigation of hypnotism,
determined to ascertain whether or not there was any-
thing in the claims set up by its exponents; and I soon
discovered that there was something in it, despite the
disrepute cast upon it by the grotesque performances
of certain so-called entertainers. There is no need for
me to detail to you the successive steps by which I at
length attained my present knowledge of the marvellous
powers of the science. Let it suffice me to say that by
diligent study of it I eventually acquired such a mastery
of it that it has enabled me to — well, to put it mildly
— succeed where but for it I must have failed. And a

30 Adventures of Dick Maitland

large measure of this success is due to the fact that
I have discovered an infallible method of instantly
hypnotizing; a patient without that patient's knowledge.
They are hypnotized, but they don't know it; haven't
the remotest suspicion of it. Then I convey to them
a powerful suggestion that my treatment of them is
going to be absolutely successful, and — there you have
the whole secret."

Humphreys paused for a moment, as if considering
whether or not he should say more; then he gazed
abstractedly at his carefully kept finger nails, and his
right hand wandered to his waistcoat pocket. Then,
looking up, he extended the hand toward Dick, say-
ing:

** Just lend me your penknife a moment, will you?"

Dick produced the knife and held it out to Hum-
phreys, who looked at it, then shrank back.

"Good heavens, man," he exclaimed, **I asked for
a penknife, not for an adder! Where did you get that
brute from?"

With an inarticulate cry, and an expression of un-
utterable disgust and loathing, Maitland dropped the
penknife to the floor, and then stamped on it savagely,
grinding the heel of his boot on it as though grinding

the head of a snake into the ground.

"Why, Dick!" exclaimed Humphreys, looking his
assistant square in the eye; "what are you doing?
What has that good knife been doing to you that you
should treat it in that barbarous manner?"

Maitland stared back blankly into the Doctor's smiling
eyes for a moment, then looked long at the penknife
on the floor, and finally stooped and cautiously took it
between his forefinger and thumb, eyeing it doubtfully
the while. Then he suddenly sat down, pulled out his
pocket handkerchief, and mopped off^ the perspiration
that freely bedewed his face.

Dick makes up His Mind 31

"Well, I'll be shot!" he ejaculated. '*What an
extraordinary experience ! Will you believe me, Doc-
tor, when I tell you that as I drew this penknife out
of my waistcoat pocket it actually seemed to change
into an adder in my hand? There was the flat, wicked-
looking head, the malevolent eyes, the characteristic
markings of the body, and, above all, there was the
feeling of it writhing strongly in my grasp, as though
it were trying to get enough of its length clear to turn
and strike me! Talk about Aaron's rod and those of
the old Egyptian necromancers turning into serpents!
Why, I could have sworn that this knife of mine did
precisely the same thing ! Now, there is a problem
for you. Doctor: What sort of mental aberration was
it that caused me to imagine such an extraordinary
thing as that, eh?"

** Simply, my dear boy, that I hypnotized you * un-
beknownst *, so to speak, in illustration of what I have
been telling you," answered the Doctor, laying his hand
upon Dick's shoulder, ** Hope I didn't scare you very
severely, eh?"

** N — o," answered Dick slowly, ** you did not actually
scare me, Doctor; but you managed to give me such a
thrill of horror and disgust as I have not experienced
for many a long day. But, I say, do you really mean
to tell me, in sober earnest, that that abominable ex-
perience was due to hypnotic suggestion on your
part?"

**Yes, I do," answered Humphreys. ** I wanted to
bring home to you in a very convincing manner the
power which the hypnotist exercises over his subject.
I could have done it even more convincingly, perhaps,
by commanding you to take that perfectly cold poker
in your hand, and then suggesting to you that it was
red hot, when — despite the fact of the poker being cold
— ^your hand would have been most painfully blistered.

32 Adventures of Dick Maitland

But probably the * adder ' experiment was convincing
enough, eh?"

** It was indeed," assented Dick with a little remi-
niscent shudder. ** But look here, Doctor, you say that
you hypnotized me. When did you do it? I didn*t see
you do anything peculiar."

*' No, my boy, of course you didn't, because I adopted
my own especial method, which is instantaneous and
undetectable, and which I will teach you if you care
to learn it; for I seem to foresee that there may be
occasions, by and by, when you get out to South
Africa, when you may find the power extremely useful
to you, particularly if you should get any medical or
surgical work to do. In such a case just hypnotize
your patient in the way that I will teach you, then
powerfully suggest to him that your treatment is going
to cure him — and it will do so. As to when I got you
under my influence, it was done while I asked you to
lend me your penknife."

** By Jove!" exclaimed Dick; ** it is marvellous,
perfectly marvellous; and if I did not know you to be
an absolutely truthful man I do not think I could
bring myself to believe it. Now I can understand
what you meant when you spoke of the potency of
hypnotism for good or for evil, and why, as I under-
stand, you have never yet dared to pass on the secret
of your power to anyone else. But I swear to you,
Doctor, that, if you will entrust it to me, I will never,
under any circumstances whatsoever, use it except for
a good purpose, nor will I ever pass on the secret to
anyone else except with your express permission. And
now that you have given me an idea of its capabilities
I simply long to know the secret, for it seems to me
that a chap with your powers could come very near
to working miracles."

**Yes," assented Humphreys quietly, **that is so;

Dick makes up His Mind 33

indeed, even with my imperfect knowledge — for I have
not yet nearly mastered all the possibilities of the
science — I have done things that without its aid would
have been impossible. And now, if you like, I will
initiate you into the secret of my power, which is very
simple after all, and which, once known, will enable
you to do everything that I can do. First of all, how-
ever, I propose to throw you into a cataleptic sleep,
in order that, while you are in that condition, I may
imbue you with an absolute faith in yourself, without
which everything that I can teach you would be
practically useless, at least until you had acquired
faith in yourself by the somewhat slow and laborious
process which I had to pursue. I had to acquire
faith in myself and my powers by repeated experiments
extending over a period of several months; but you
have not time for that, so I must imbue you with
it by the process of suggestion while you are in a
state of trance. Now, are you ready?"

"Yes, quite," answered Dick, with a quick indraw-
ing of the breath; for now that it came to the point
he suddenly found that to submit himself unreservedly
to the hands of even his friend Humphreys, for the
purposes of an experiment that smacked rather strongly
of the uncanny, was something of a nerve-trying ex-
perience. Humphreys evidently noted his momentary
hesitation, for he said:

"You need not have the least fear; you will be
profoundly unconscious during the period of sleep, and
will awake without the slightest trace of any unpleasant
feeling. Now, stretch yourself out comfortably on that
sofa, and do exactly as I tell you."

When Dick descended to the surgery, a few minutes
late, the next morning, he found his friend Humphreys,

(0 827) 3

34 Adventures of Dick Maitland

with his coat off, his shirt sleeves rolled up, and his
clothes protected by a white apron extending" from
his throat to the tops of his boots, busily engaged
in dusting his bottles and the shelves whereon they
stood.

As Dick entered, the Doctor, mounted upon a step
ladder, looked down at him with a smile and nod of

welcome, and said :

*'Well, my boy, how did you sleep, and how do
you feel after your ordeal of last night?"

Dick laughed joyously. ** My * ordeal ' !" he ex-
claimed. **I hope I may never have to undergo a
more trying ordeal than that. I slept like a top,
thank you, and feel as fit as a fiddle this morning,
indeed I don't know that I ever felt so fit in all my
life before. But that is not all : I have not the
remotest idea what mysterious thing you did to me
last night, but this I know, that you have imparted to
me a something that I have never hitherto possessed.
I feel this morning a buoyancy of spirit that it seems to
me no amount of disappointment could damp or lessen
for a moment, and I have a belief in myself so com-
plete, so boundless, that I feel I cannot help but be
successful in this new venture of mine upon which I
am about to embark."

**Yes," said Humphreys, nodding his head in a
manner which very clearly expressed his satisfaction,
"that is the result of your * ordeal', and it will be
quite permanent. Mind you, I don't say that you will
always feel quite so buoyant and confident as you do
at this moment, for it is beyond the power of any
man to make another absolutely immune to circum-
stances; but in spite of circumstances, however ad-
verse, you will always retain some at least of your
present buoyancy and confidence. I do not think you
will ever sink into that condition of utter and abject

Dick makes up His Mind 35

despair which overwhelms some people and drives
them to suicide. To change the subject. Are you
still minded to go to the docks this morning in
quest of a shipmaster benevolently enough inclined
to allow you to work your passage out to South
Africa?"

** Rather!" answered Dick. *' That is to say, if
you think you can spare me for a few hours."

**Of course I can spare you," answered Humphreys.
** And I would advise you to go immediately after break-
fast, for, as you know, * it is the early bird that
catches the worm *. But how do you propose to set
about your quest? Not quite haphazard, I sup-
pose?"

**No," answered Dick. **I thought of getting the
Shipping Gazette^ and perhaps the Telegraphy and
consulting their advertisement pages, with the view of
learning what ships are on the berth for South
African ports, where they are lying, and their date of
sailing."

** An excellent idea," declared the Doctor, ** As
soon as Polly has put breakfast upon the table we
will send her out to get the papers, and you can con-
sult them and prepare a list of likely vessels before
you go out."

This was done; and by nine o'clock, Dick, having
breakfasted, was ready to sally forth on the first
stage of his journey in quest of fortune, duly armed
with a slip of paper containing a list of some half-
dozen ships loading for South Africa, ** with quick
dispatch ".

And two hours later he returned to the surgery, his
visage beaming with satisfaction.

*' Hurrah, Doctor!" he exclaimed, as he dashed in
through the open doorway. " IVe done the trick ;
got the skipper of the Concordia to allow me to work

36 Adventures of Dick Maitland

my passage out to Port Natal as ordinary seaman at
a shilling a month. I * sign on * at the shipping office
the day after to-morrow, and have to be on board by
eight o'clock the same evening in readiness to haul
out of dock at daylight on the following morning."

CHAPTER III

Before the Mast

The remainder of Dick Maitland*s time in England
was pretty fully occupied in comforting and encour-
aging his mother, in view of the pending separation,
and in getting his somewhat slender wardrobe ready
and packed for the voyage. The first-mentioned part
of his task proved very much more difficult than the
other, for Mrs. Maitland was rather a helpless kind
of person, and had already come to look to Dick for
advice and help in every sort of difficulty, whether
great or small ; the prospect, therefore, of being hence-
forth obliged to look after herself and manage her
affairs unaided filled her at first with dismay. Besides,
there was the separation from her son, the feeling
that she knew not whether she would ever again set
eyes on him in this world, and the terrible uncertainty
generally of the future, to further distract her; but at
length the buoyancy and unquenchable hopefulness of
Dick's spirit had its eifect upon her; and, finally,
when the moment of parting came, she had been
brought to a frame of mind that enabled her to say
the last words of farewell almost with calmness. As
for Dick, he had already received Humphreys' assur-
ance that he would keep in touch with Mrs. Maitland,
and see, in conjunction with his friend Graham, the
solicitor, that she came to no harm; therefore he had
few fears for her immediate future; while, for the rest,

37

38 Adventures of Dick Maitland

he was confident that before his mother's little capital
became exhausted he would have found means to re-
plenish it. He spent with her the remainder of the
day upon which he had interviewed the skipper of the
Concordia, and practically the whole of that which
succeeded it, finally bidding- her farewell about six
o'clock in the evening, in order that he might spend
the remainder of the day with Humphreys, with whom
he had still much of importance to discuss.

Upon Dick's return to No. 19 Paradise Street he
found the genial Doctor so busily engaged in dispens-
ing drugs and advice that the two had time for little
more than a mutual nod of greeting; but later on,
when the last patient had departed and business had
been brought to a close for the night, they sat down
together for a chat over a cup of coffee and — so far
as Humphreys was concerned — a pipe. Dick had not
yet taken to tobacco, and Humphreys, although an
inveterate smoker himself, so far from urging his
young friend to adopt the habit, had strongly dis-
suaded him from having anything to do with the weed,
at least until he had reached his twenty-first birthday,
learnedly descanting upon the injurious effects of nico-
tine upon the immature constitution, and incidentally
warning him to eschew narcotics generally, which, he
insisted, were always injurious, and only to be resorted
to, even medically, when it became a choice between
a narcotic and some greater evil.

** Well, my boy," remarked the Doctor, when they
were at length comfortably settled in their respective
chairs, **so you have parted with your mother. I
hope you were able to cheer the poor lady and recon-
cile her to the separation. It is of course very hard
upon her that at her time of life she should be left
absolutely alone, but necessity is a pitiless jade, ex-
acting her tribute of sorrow and suffering from all

Before the Mast 39

alike, from the monarch to the pauper, and when she
lays her hand upon us there is no escape. But do not
allow anxiety on behalf of your dear mother to worry
you for a moment, lad, for I have promised to keep
an eye upon her, and, as you know, I am a man of
my word, and no harm shall befall her so long as I
have the power to avert it. No, don't thank me,
Dick, there is no need; the satisfaction and pleasure
that I shall derive from helping- your dear mother will
be reward enough for me, for I regard her as a
personal friend, and shall consider it a privilege to be
allowed to do all that I can for her."

**And now, to pass on to another topic, let me show
you the medicine chest which I intend shall be my part-
ing gift to you. Here it is," — producing a stout case
measuring about eighteen inches long by fourteen inches
wide and twelve inches high, ** It is not inconveniently
bulky or heavy, but it contains a practically complete
assortment of drugs, sufficient in quantity to enable you
to fight successfully about half a dozen cases of almost
every known disease. More than that it would be in-
convenient to carry about with you; and when any
particular drug shows signs of exhaustion you must
take timely steps to replenish your supply. And, with
reference to that same replenishment, you will find a
little manuscript book, written by myself, containing
full instructions in the art of preparing several of the
drugs from their parent plants, which I believe you
will find exceedingly useful." Here Humphreys* talk
became professional and his speech surcharged with
technicalities — for he was an enthusiast in everything
relating to the combating and cure of disease, and far
into the small hours he descanted learnedly upon his
beloved science, confiding to and instructing Dick
in many valuable secrets that, by dint of laborious
research and much consumption of midnight oil, he had

40 Adventures of Dick Maitland

wrung from Dame Nature. And on many an occasion
in the not-far-distant future Dick Maitland had ample
cause to look back with gratitude upon that long mid-
night conversation.

With exemplary punctuality young Maitland pre-
sented himself at the shipping office at ten o'clock in
the morning, and duly "signed on" as ordinary sea-
man in the good ship Concordia^ bound for Natal;
Mr. Sutcliffe, the chief mate, privately congratulating
Captain Roberts, the skipper of the ship, immediately
afterwards, upon his good fortune in securing so
"likely" a hand for the small sum of one shilling per
month, and expressing his fixed determination to
'*make a man of him" before they reached the Line.
At the private suggestion of the said chief mate, Dick
lost no time in conveying his belongings to the ship
and depositing his bedding in the best-sheltered bunk
in the forecastle; after which he returned to No. 19
Paradise Street, where he spent the few hours of
freedom remaining to him in assisting his friend the
Doctor, and absorbing further knowledge from him.
Finally, as the clocks in the immediate neighbour-
hood were striking the hour of eight in the evening,
Dick stepped over the rail of the Concordia and for-
mally reported himself to the chief mate, thereafter re-
pairing '.o the forecastle and making his preparations
for the night. He was the first hand to join the ship,
notwithstanding the fact that the entire crew had been
ordered to be on board not later than eight o'clock
that evening; and it was not until close upon midnight
that the remainder found their way down from the
neighbouring public houses, all of them as surly and
quarrelsome as bears at the termination of their short
period of liberty. Fortunately for Dick, all hands
were too far gone in drink to admit of their quarrel-

Before the Mast 41

someness going* further than words, and eventually,
by about one o'clock in the morning, he was able to
compose himself to sleep, to the accompaniment of the
snores and mutterings of his companions — thirteen in
number.

Many lads in Dick Maltland's position, and brought
up amid refined surroundings, as he had been, would
have regarded with horror and loathing such a situation
as that in which he now found himself, and would have
been overwhelmed with self-pity at the cruelly hard
luck which forced them to herd with such uncongenial
companions in such a pig sty of a place as the Con-
cordia^ s forecastle just then presented; but Dick was
something of a philosopher, and was, moreover, full
of "grit". He held the doctrine that a man can make
what he chooses of his surroundings, and always find
in them something of amusement or interest, if he cares
to look for it; and now he consoled himself with the
reminder that life in that forecastle, and among those
men, whose highest ideal of happiness seemed to be
helpless intoxication, would after all be but a brief
experience, out of which it would be hard indeed if he
could not learn some useful lesson. With this philo-
sophic reflection, he curled himself up in his blankets
and dropped into a sound, dreamless sleep.

At six o'clock next morning the mate came thunder-
ing upon the fore scuttle with a handspike, following
up the resounding blows with a yell of:

**A11 hands ahoy! tumble up there, you sleepers,
and don't wait to curl your hair. Hurry up, now, and
give me a chance to see who are the * smarties ' among
you!"

With low growls of disgust at such rude and
untimely disturbance of their slumbers the fourteen
occupants of the forecastle rolled unwillingly out of
their bunks and proceeded to scramble into their

42 Adventures of Dick Maitland

garments, most of them anathematizing the sea life
generally, and their present ship in particular. For
forecastle Jack is a curious creature, and, if you are
to believe him, 'Mast voyage" is invariably the supreme
period of his life, wherein has been crowded the utmost
comfort and pleasure and the most remarkable ad-
ventures, while the ship on board which he happens to
be at the moment is, as invariably, the slowest, ugliest,
most uncomfortable, and most rotten tub that he ever
had the ill luck to ship in. And all this, mind you,
as likely as not before the much-maligned craft has
passed out through the dock gates, or Jack has done
a hand*s turn of work on board her. Dick listened
with a good-tempered grin to the chorus of grumbling
that was proceeding around him, interjected a merry
jest or two which caused the growlers to stop in mid-
career in amazement at his audacity, and then, having
slipped nimbly into his clothes, he sprang up through
the hatchway and presented himself first on deck of
the forecastle hands, to be greeted by the mate with
a cheery:

**WeIl done, youngster! First to answer the call.
That comes of joining your ship with an unmuddled
brain. I think you and I are going to get on well
together."

** I sincerely hope so, sir," answered Dick, ** If we
don't it shall not be my fault. And although I am
rather an ignoramus at present in respect of a sailor's
work generally, you will find me both willing and eager
to learn."

The mate stared at Dick for a moment with com-
pressed eyebrows, rather taken aback at the lad's
refined tone and manner of speech; then he nodded,
and remarked gruffly :

** That's all right; if you are willing to learn Til
take care that you have the chance. And, as a starter,

Before the Mast 43

you may get a broom and sweep up all this litter. But
don't heave it overboard, or you'll have the dock people
after you. Sweep it all together and put it into that
empty barrel until we get out of dock and can heave
it over the side."

The rest of the forecastle hands now came stumbling
up on deck, and were set by the mate to various tasks,
pending the opening of the dock gates and the arrival
of the tug which was to tow the Concordia down the
river. At length the order was given to unmoor ship,
the dock gates swung open, the vessel was warped
through the opening to where the tug awaited her,
the towrope was passed, and presently the Concordia
was heading down the river toward Gravesend, from
whence, having first shipped her passengers, she was
to take her final departure for the southern hemisphere.

The Concordia was a steel barque of eight hundred
and seventy - four tons register, Clyde built, and
modelled upon lines that combined a very fair cargo-
carrying capacity with high speed possibilities. She
was a very handsome vessel to look at, and Captain
William Roberts, who had commanded her since she
left the stocks some two years prior to the date at
which we make his and her acquaintance, was in-
ordinately proud of her, sparing no pains either to
himself or his ship*s crew — and especially, his boat-
swain — to keep her as trim and neat as a man-o'-war.
The decks were regularly holystoned every morning
when the ship was at sea — to the intense disgust of
the crew — the brasswork was as regularly polished, not
with the usual rottenstone and oil, but with special
metal polish provided out of the skipper's private
purse; and there was no more certain way of ** putting
the Old Man's back up" than for a man to allow himself
to be seen knocking the ashes of his pipe out against
any portion of the ship's painted work. It was even

44 Adventures of Dick Maitland

asserted of Captain Roberts that, so anxious was he
to maintain the smart appearance of the ship, he would,
whenever she ran into a calm, have the quarterboat
lowered and manned, in order that he might pull round
his vessel and assure himself that her masts were all
accurately stayed to precisely the same angle of rake;
and woe betide the unhappy boatswain if there seemed
to be the slightest occasion for fault-finding.

The Concordia was a beamy ship in proportion to
her length, and she carried a full poop extending
forward to within about twenty feet of her mainmast,
underneath which was a handsome saloon, or cuddy,
fitted with berth accommodation for twenty passengers ;
for although the steam liners have, for all practical
purposes, absorbed the passenger traffic, there still
remains a small residue of the travelling public who,
either for health or economy's sake, choose a well-
found, well-built sailing clipper when they desire to
make a sea voyage.

Such was the vessel in which young Dick Maitland
was to make his first, and, as he hoped, his only,
essay as a seaman before the mast, and after the slight
sketch which has been given of her and her skipper,
it will be readily seen that he could scarcely have hit
upon a craft where he would be likely to have more
hard work, or better opportunities for the acquirement
of a large measure of seafaring knowledge in a very
short time.

Mr. Sutcliffe, the chief mate, had been favourably
impressed by Dick from the moment when the two had
encountered each other at the shipping office, and Mr.
Sutcliife's method of showing his favour was to provide
his favourites with an ample sufficiency of work to do.
The ship had, therefore, not been out of dock half an
hour when Dick was sent aloft with an able seaman
named Barrett to get the fore and maic royal-yards

Before the Mast 45

across; and so eager was the lad to learn as much as
he could that Barrett very willingly permitted him to
do all the work, merely directing him what to do and
how to do it, and at the same time instructing him as
to the nomenclature and purposes of the various parts
of the gear which were manipulated during the opera-
tion. Naturally, Dick, being a novice, took about twice
as long as his companion would have taken over the
job; but so eager was he to learn and such aptitude
did he exhibit that he won the unqualified approval
of Barrett, as well as of Mr. SutclifFe, who had been
keeping a sharp eye upon what was going on aloft.
As for Dick, although it was the first time that he had
ever been aloft in anything deserving the name of a
ship, and although the hull upon which he looked down
seemed ridiculously inadequate to support the lofty
spar upon which he was working — suggesting the idea
that unless he exercised the utmost caution in the
disposition of his weight he must inevitably capsize
the entire complicated structure — he felt neither giddy
nor nervous, but went about his work with all the
coolness and confidence of a thoroughly seasoned hand.
Arrived off Gravesend, the anchor was let go, and
the ship swung to the now fast ebbing tide, the quarter-
boat was lowered, and the skipper was rowed ashore,
while Mr. SutclifFe went the rounds of the decks and
satisfied himself that everything had been done to make
the Concordia perfectly ready to get under way at a
moment*s notice; the yards were accurately squared
by the lifts and braces, the running gear hauled taut
and neatly coiled down, the decks once more swept;
and then the worthy mate found himself compelled
to admit, with a sigh, that nothing more could be done,
at least to advantage, until the passengers should
have come off and the ship be once more under way.
These two events happened late in the afternoon, and

46 Adventures of Dick Maitland

meanwhile the occupants of the forecastle were sent
below to snatch a few hours* rest in preparation for the
coming nig^ht, during which Dick Maitland had an
opportunity to become better acquainted with his mess-
mates. For a wonder these proved to be without
exception British, consisting of two Irishmen, five
Scotchmen, and one Welshman, while the rest were
English. There was nothing very remarkable about
any of them, they were all just ordinary average sailor-
men, but it did not take Dick very long to make up
his mind that, with the possible exception of the car-
penter, and Barrett, the A.B, who had been his com-
panion and instructor aloft during the morning, the
five Scotchmen were the pick of the bunch. But all
hands seemed to be very decent fellows in their own
rough way, now that they had had time to recover
from their previous day's debauch, and manifested a
distinct disposition to be friendly toward the young
greenhorn whom they found in their midst, especially
as they had already had an opportunity to see that the
greenhorn's greenness was not of such a character as
to entail upon them very much extra work.

The afternoon was well advanced when at length the
passengers, seventeen in number, came off to the ship;
and the moment that they and their baggage were em-
barked the anchor was hove up, the tug once more
came alongside and took the towrope, and the Con-
cordia proceeded upon her voyage, the hope being
freely expressed, both fore and aft, that there would
be no more anchoring until the ship should have arrived
under the shadow, so to speak, of Natal Bluff. As
soon as the ship was fairly under way, and the anchor
at the cathead, the chief and second mates picked the
watches, and Dick, to his satisfaction, found himself
picked by Mr. Sutcliffe as a member of that officer's
watch.

Before the Mast 47

As the ship drew down toward the lower reaches of
the river she met a slight breeze breathings out from the
north-east, to which she spread, first, her fore-and-aft
canvas, and, later on, her square sails, so that by the
time of her arrival off Deal, near midnight, she was
practically independent of the tug, which at that point
cast her off. Here also the pilot left her, taking with
him a goodly packet of letters from the passengers to
their friends ashore; and the Concordia^ spreading her

studdingsails, swept on into the broadening waters of
the English Channel, With the other letters went one
from Dick to his mother and another to Dr. Humphreys,
written during his watch below.

The fair wind which the Concordia fell in with at the
mouth of the Thames lasted long enough to carry the
ship, not only clear of the Channel, but also well to the
westward of Ushant, Captain Roberts having availed
himself to the utmost of the opportunity to make as
much westing as possible, as his experience had taught
him that at that season of the year the prevailing winds
which he might expect to meet with to the northward
of Madeira would most probably be strong from the
south-westward. And the event proved the correctness
of that mariner's surmise, for on his seventh day out
from Gravesend he fell in with the expected shift of
wind, and four hours later the Concordia was lighting
her way to the southward, under double-reefed topsails,
against a heavy and fast-rising sea.

Those seven days had made a vast amount of differ-
ence to Dick Maitland, so far as his usefulness as a
seaman was concerned. In that comparatively brief
period he had contrived not only to learn the name and
function of every bit of running rigging in the ship, but
also to lay his hand unerringly upon any required hal-
yard, brace, sheet, downhaul, clewline, or other item of
gear in the darkest night ; he was as active and almost

48 Adventures of Dick Maitland

as handy aloft as the smartest A.B. in the ship; and
he proved to be a born helmsman, standing* his ** trick **
at the wheel from the very first, and leaving a straighter
wake behind him than any of the other men, even when
the ship was scudding before a heavy following sea.
Mr. Sutcliffe, the chief mate, was delighted with his
young prot^g^, and declared, in unnecessarily pic-
turesque language, that he would qualify the boy to
perform the duties of an able seaman before Natal Bluff
should heave in sight.

But Dick was to prove his mettle in quite another
fashion before long ; for the strong south - westerly
breeze which the Concordia encountered on her seventh
day out rapidly developed into so furious a gale that,
after battling with it for some fourteen hours, Captain
Roberts decided to heave-to under close-reefed fore and
main topsails, and at eight bells — noon — the order was
accordingly given to clew up and furl the already reefed
courses, and to haul down and stow the fore-topmast
staysail. This, under the weather conditions of the
moment, was a task requiring the services of all hands,
and by the orders of the chief mate, who was conducting
the operations, Dick was stationed at the weather fore
clew-garnet, with three other hands. The men, having
gone to their stations, were waiting for the word of
command when suddenly the chain maintack carried
away, and the part attached to the sail, acting like a
whip, struck one of the men who was standing by to
ease it away, smashed the poor fellow's right arm above
the elbow, shattered his jaw, and laid open his right
cheek from the turn of the jaw to the right ear, which
was all but torn away from the man's head; the force
of the blow also was such as to dash the unfortunate
fellow against the bulwarks so violently that he in-
stantly fell to the deck senseless.

The accident, naturally, at once occasioned the ut-

Before the Mast 49

most confusion, in the midst of which the mainsail
promptly threshed itself to rag's, the mate sprang" down
the poop ladder and rushed to the spot, yelling a
whole string of orders, to which nobody paid the
slightest attention, and Dick, with two or three others,
abandoned their posts and ran to the injured man's
assistance.

*'Back to your stations, you skowbanks," roared the
mate. *' What d'ye mean by rushing about like a flock
of frightened sheep? D'ye want to see the ship dis-
masted? Here you, Dick, and Joe, pick him up and
carry him below to his bunk until the skipper can
attend to him."

**I beg your pardon, sir," spoke Dick, '*but I am
afraid we may do the poor fellow some further injury
if we attempt to carry him below. I understand that
there is a spare bunk in the deckhouse where the boat-
swain and carpenter are quartered. May we not take
him in there? And, if you will give me leave, I will
attend to his hurts. I have studied both medicine and
surgery, and feel sure that I can do better for him than
anyone else, excepting, of course, a qualified surgeon."

**The dickens! You don't say so?" ejaculated the
mate, staring at Dick in amazement. ** Very well,
then, in that case you had better take charge of him.
And — yes, of course, take him into the deckhouse.
Now, lads, clew up that fore-course, and be lively
with it; haul taut your clew-garnets, ease up your
tack and sheet; man your buntlines and leachlines;
that's your sort, up with it; away aloft, some of you,
and make a good, snug furl of it!"

Quickly, yet with the utmost care, the injured seaman
was lifted up and carried into the deckhouse, where, in
accordance with Dick's instructions, he was laid upon
the table, a mattress having first been hurriedly dragged
from one of the bunks and placed to receive him. Then,

(0 327) 4

50 Adventures of Dick Maitland

leaving the patient for the moment in charge of the
other man, Dick hurried to the forecastle and brought
up the medicine chest which had been Humphrey's
parting gift to him, and his case of surgical instru-
ments, which he opened and placed upon the car-
penter's chest, to the undisguised admiration and
horror of his assistant, who gazed as though fascinated
at the array of highly polished saws, knives, scissors,
and other instruments of queer and horribly suggestive
shape. Then, dexterously removing the man's jacket
and shirt while he still remained unconscious, Dick
rapidly proceeded to give his patient a systematic over-
haul, with the object of ascertaining the precise nature
and extent of his injuries.

He had just completed this examination when the
injured man showed signs of returning consciousness,
at the same moment that the skipper, having heard
from the mate the particulars of the accident, came
bustling into the deckhouse with a bottle of brandy in
one hand and a tumbler in the other, intent upon doing
something, though he scarcely knew what, for the relief
of the sufferer. The brandy arrived in the nick of time,
and, seizing the bottle and tumbler unceremoniously,
Maitland poured out a small quantity and held the
tumbler to the patient's lips. With difficulty the man
contrived to swallow about a teaspoonful, which con-
siderably revived him, and then, with a groan of
anguish, strove to mumble a few words in spite of his
broken jaw. Now, if ever, was the moment when
Humphreys* doctrine of the efficacy of hypnotism might
be effectively tested, and fixing the man's upturned gaze
with his own, in the peculiar manner which Humphreys
had described and illustrated, Dick said to his patient,
in a quiet, yet firm and confident tone of voice :

'*Now, Tom, don't attempt to say anything or ask
any questions, but listen to me. You have met with

Before the Mast 51

an accident, but it is not at all serious; and I am
going to put you right and make you quite comfortable.
I shall be obliged to pull you about a bit, but under-
stand this, you will suffer no pain whatever, and when
I have finished with you you will fall into a quiet and
refreshing sleep, from which you will awake without
fever or complication of any sort. Now, turn over on
your left side, and let me begin by attending to the
injuries of your face."

To the utter amazement of the skipper and Joe — the
man who had assisted Dick to carry the injured man into
the deckhouse — the patient turned quietly over on his
left side as directed, without a groan or any other sign
of suffering, and resigned himself quite contentedly to
Dick's ministrations. The latter, to all outward appear-
ance perfectly calm and self-possessed, but inwardly
full of astonishment at the complete success of his
first experiment, at once proceeded with quick and
deft hands to arrange in position the shattered frag-
ments of the jaw, strapping them firmly in place with
bandage and sticking plaster; then he deftly drew to-
gether the edges of the gashed cheek, stitched up the
wound, applied an antiseptic dressing, and bound up
the injured face in such a manner that the patient might
be enabled to take liquid nourishment without distur-
bance of the dressings. Lastly, he placed the broken
bone of the arm in position, and firmly secured it there
with splints and bandages. As Dick inserted the last
pin in the bandage and arranged the arm in a comfort-
able position the patient closed his eyes, and a minute
later his quiet and regular breathing showed that he
was fast asleep!

CHAPTER IV

Phil Grosvenor's Proposition

**Well, dash my wig," exclaimed the skipper, his
face the picture of blank astonishment, **that beats
the record! Why, the man's fast asleep, in spite of
all your handling- of him ! How in the name of all
that's wonderful did you manage to work that miracle,
youngster?"

**Oh, easily enough!" laughed Dick. "Everything
is easy, you know, sir, when you understand how to
do it. I learned how to do that, and a great many
other very useful things, under one of the cleverest
men in London, a man who would be famous but for
the fact that he prefers to work in the obscurity of
the East End, and let the poor enjoy the benefit of
his wonderful skill, instead of becoming a fashionable
Harley Street practitioner. With your permission, sir,
I will look after our friend Tom, here; and I guaran-
tee to have him up and about again, as well as ever,
before we reach the latitude of the Cape."

** You do?" ejaculated the skipper. " Then by
George, sir, you shall have the opportunity. But, look
here, why didn't you tell me that you were a doctor,
when you came and asked me to allow you to work
your passage out to South Africa?"

"Well, you see," answered Dick, "I was rather
down on my luck just then; I — or rather, my mother
— had learned, only a few days before, that she had

52

Phil Grosvenor's Proposition 53

been robbed of all her money; and it was imperative
that I should at once go out into the world and earn
more for her, hence my anxiety to go to South Africa.
But I was so badly off that I couldn't even afford to
pay my fare out there; I therefore determined to work
my passage. And, as I considered that the fact of my
being a doctor would be no recommendation to you,
I decided not to mention it."

**Ah!" remarked the skipper; **that is just where
you made a big mistake; your services as a medical
man would have been far more valuable to me than
as an ordinary seaman. Besides, you can do better
work than mere pulling and hauling and dipping your
hands into the tar bucket. You are a gentleman in
manner and speech, and will look like one when you
get into another suit of clothes. Now, I tell you
what it is; I am not going to waste you by allowing
you to remain in the forecastle any longer, so just
turn to and get the tar stains off your hands, shift
into a white shirt and a shore-going suit of clothes,
and come aft into the cuddy as ship's surgeon. There
is, very fortunately, a vacant cabin that you can have ;
and you may earn the rest of your passage by looking
after the health of the passengers and crew — there are
three or four ladies who are pretty nearly dead with
seasickness, and if you can relieve 'em they'll bless
me for discovering you."

**0h yes," answered Dick cheerfully, "I have no
doubt I can relieve them all right! But there is one
thing with regard to this arrangement that perhaps
you have not thought of. Captain. Perhaps your
passengers will not approve of your bringing me aft
out of the forecastle to associate with them upon terms
of equality."

"Don't you trouble your head about that, my son,"
returned the skipper "That is my affair. But I'm

54 Adventures of Dick Maitland

quite sure that they won't object when I tell *em the
facts of the case. Besides, they've already noticed you
while you've been at the wheel, and have remarked
what a well-spoken, gentlemanly youngs fellow you are.
No, no ; that'll be all right, never fear. Now, if you've
finished with this poor chap for a while, you had better
cut away and make yourself fit for the cuddy, and
then shift aft, bag and baggage."

**Very well, sir, I will, and many thanks to you for
the promotion," answered Dick, "But we cannot
leave Tom here on the table, comfortable as he is.
Therefore, with your permission, sir, I will call in a
couple of hands, who, with Joe and myself, will be
able to put him into the spare bunk, where he will
be out of everybody's way, and where I can attend
to him quite conveniently."

To this proposal the worthy skipper at once con-
sented; and half an hour later Dick, having discarded
his working clothes for a suit of blue serge, and
otherwise made himself presentable, moved aft and
established himself in the spare cabin which Captain
Roberts placed at his disposal, the skipper having
meanwhile ensured a cordial reception for him from the
passengers by telling them such particulars of Dick's
history as he was acquainted with, and also describing,
with much picturesque detail, the masterly manner
in which the lad had patched up the injured sea-
man.

Dick had no reason to complain of the manner in
which the passengers received him among them ; on
the contrary, his reception was cordial in the extreme,
especially by the women, to whose sense of romance
the lad's story, as told by the skipper, appealed very
strongly. The introduction took place just as the
passengers — or at least those of them who were not
too ill — were about to sit down to tiffin, and Dick

Phil Grosvenor's Proposition 55

was assig^ned a place at the long- table halfway between
the head and the foot, where Captain Roberts and
Mr. SutclifFe respectively presided; but the young man
declined to sit down until he had visited and relieved
his new patients, consisting of five ladies and three
men.

His method of dealing with these unfortunates was
simplicity itself. Relying wholly upon the wonderful
power of hypnotism with which his friend Humphreys
had endowed him, he prepared for each patient a
draught consisting of sugar and water only, slightly
flavoured with an aromatic bitter; and, as he presented
this, he got the patient under his influence in the in- '
stantaneous manner which Humphreys had taught him,
at the same time saying, in a quietly confident tone
of voice:

** Now, I want you to drink this, please. It is an
absolutely unfailing and instantaneous remedy for the
distressing complaint from which you are sufiering,
and the moment that you have swallowed it every
trace of discomfort will disappear, to return no more.
You will feel so thoroughly well that very probably
yon will wish to rise and dress ; but I do not advise
that. On the contrary, I recommend you to remain
where you are until you have had a few hours* re-
freshing sleep, after which you can get up to dinner.
That is right " — as the patient swallowed the draught.
'* Now you feel quite all right, don't you? Yes. You
will feel very sleepy presently; just let yourself go;
and when you awake you will find yourself as well
as you ever were in your life."

And, incredible though it may appear, that is pre-
cisely what happened. What was perhaps at least
equally remarkable was that, although these good
people had all suffered more or less from seasickness
every day since leaving Gravesend, from that moment

56 Adventures of Dick Maitland

they were entirely free from it for the remainder of
the voyage.

Among the passengers who were thus suddenly and
completely cured was a Mr. Philip Grosvenor, who,
having been crossed in love, and, moreover, possessing
far more money than he knew what to do with, while
he had no disposition to dissipate it on the racecourse
or at the gambling tables, was going out to South
Africa to shoot big game ; and this young man — he was
only a month or two over twenty-six years of age — at
once struck up a warm friendship with Dick, originat-
ing, possibly, in a feeling of gratitude for his prompt
relief from those sufferings which had hitherto made
his life a burden to him, from the moment when the
South Foreland light had sunk beneath the horizon
astern of the Concordia,

He made his first advances after dinner on the evening
of the day which had witnessed his cure. As Dick had
foretold, he fell asleep immediately after swallowing the
draught which the young medico had administered, had
awakened, feeling absolutely well, just in time to rise
and dress for dinner, had partaken of a very hearty
meal, and thereafter had made his way up on the
poop to gaze upon the stirring spectacle of the ship
battling with and gallantly holding her own against
the raging w^ind and sea — and possibly also to revel
in his new-found immunity from the horrors of mal de
mer. Here he had found Dick, a born sailor, walking
the heaving and plunging deck and chatting animatedly
with Mr. Sutcliffe, who, honest man, felt somewhat
at a loss to determine precisely the manner of his
behaviour toward the youngster whom he had so
recently patronized and ordered about, but who was
now translated aft to the quarterdeck upon an equal
footing with himself. Dick had just about succeeded
in putting to flight the worthy chief mate's feeling

Phil Grosvenor's Proposition 57

of awkwardness and embarrassment when Grosvenor
appeared and joined the pair, whereupon Sutcliffe, who
was rather shy with the passengers, sheered off, upon
the pretence of attending to his duty, and left the two
together.

" By Jove, Doctor, but this is a grand sight, isn't it?"
exclaimed Dick's recent patient. ** Never saw the like
of it before, and shouldn't be in form to see it now, but
for you. 'Pon my word, you know, you are a wonder
— a perfect wonder! Give me your arm and let's walk
about a bit, shall we? That's right. D'you know I
don't think I ever felt more fit in my life than I do
at this moment; and to reflect that only this morning I
was — ugh! Tell you what it is. Doctor, you should
patent that prescription of yours, have it made up,
and sell it at five shillings the bottle. You would
soon make your fortune. And I'll write a testimonial
for you. *Took one dose and never needed another!'
eh? No, hang it all, that wouldn't do, either, rather
too ambiguous, eh? sort of double meaning in that
kind of statement — what? But, joking apart, old
man, I'd very strongly advise you to patent the thing
and advertise it extensively. I'm certain that there's
money in it."

** Possibly," agreed Dick, who had no intention of
taking this young man into his confidence to the ex-
tent of explaining the actual character of the draught.
*' Unfortunately, however, to do as you suggest needs
the preliminary expenditure of a good deal of money,
which is a singularly scarce commodity with me.
No, I am afraid that plan of yours will scarcely do;
it is true that I am particularly anxious to make my
fortune, and that, too, without a moment's loss of
time, but I am afraid I shall have to hit upon some
other way of doing it."

**Ah! Well, what is your plan, if it is a fair ques-

58 Adventures of Dick Maitland

tion? Excuse me, old chap, I'm not asking out of
mere vulgar, impertinent curiosity, but at the dinner
table to-night somebody mentioned that you are work-
ing your passage out to South Africa. What do you
propose to do when you arrive there?"

** Heaven only knows; certainly I do not,** answered
Dick with a lugubrious smile. "When I step ashore
on the wharf at Port Natal I shall not know in what
direction to turn my steps, or where to look for a
meal or a night*s lodging. Also the whole of my
available capital will consist in the wages which I
shall take up when Captain Roberts gives me my
discharge, amounting, probably, to a couple of shil-
lings.**

**What?" ejaculated Grosvenor incredulously. **Oh,
I say, my dear chap, you are not in earnest, surely?**

** Indeed I am, then, in deadly earnest,'* answered
Dick. "But I am not worrying. I am strong and
more than willing to work, and I mean to take the
very first job that comes to hand, let it be what it
will. I believe that if a chap is willing to work he
can always get something to do, though it may not
be precisely the kind of work that he would like.
And when once I have secured the means of provid-
ing myself with board and lodging I shall be able to
look round for something better.**

** Yes— yes, of course you will," responded Gros-
venor, a little dubiously. ** I say, old chap,'* he con-
tinued admiringly, "you are a 'gritty' beggar, and
no mistake ! I wonder if you would mind telling me
your story?'*

"No, not at all," answered Dick; "there is nothing
in it that I need be ashamed of.'* And forthwith he
proceeded to give his new-found friend a brief yet clear
account of the circumstances which had resulted in
his being reduced to his present plight.

Phil Grosvenor's Proposition 59

** By Jove, Maitland, I admire you ! " exclaimed
Grosvenor when Dick had come to the end of his
story. ** There is not one man in a hundred who,
under similar circumstances, would have tackled the
situation with the indomitable pluck and whole-hearted
belief in himself that you have shown ; and I feel sure
that such courage will meet with its just reward. You
are the kind of fellow that always comes out on top,
simply because you will not allow yourself to be kept
down. Now, look here, I am going* to make a pro-
position to you — and, understand me, it is on purely
selfish grounds that I am going to make it. I am
going out to South Africa because I want to forget
a-^well, a very bitter disappointment that I have
recently sustained, and the particulars of which I will
perhaps tell you some day if you fall in with my propo-
sition, as I hope you will. The way in which I propose
to conquer this disappointment of mine is to go in for
a life of adventure — exploration of the interior, big-
game shooting, and that sort of thing, you understand.
I have heard some most thrilling stories of the wonder-
ful things and people that are to be found in the interior
of Africa, and, while many of them are doubtless lies,
there is evidence enough of a perfectly reliable char-
acter to prove that there is at least a certain amount
of truth in others ; and it is my purpose to ascertain
at firsthand the exact measure of that truth. Take,
for example, the contention of certain antiquarians that
the ruins of Ophir must exist somewhere upon the
east coast. I have read pretty nearly everything that
has been written upon that subject, and I am convinced
of the soundness of the contention, as I am also of the
contention that Zimbabwe is not ancient Ophir. Then,
again, there is the statement of the existence of a
mysterious white race in the far interior, which per-
sistently crops up at intervals. It would be interesting

6o Adventures of Dick Maitland

in the extreme to be able to settle that matter beyond
a doubt, wouldn't it? Very well, then; my idea is to
attempt to find ancient Ophir, and also the mysterious
white race, if possible.

** Of course I know that what I propose is scarcely in
the nature of a picnic; it no doubt means a good deal
of hardship, privation, and danger; in fact, my friends
without exception pronounced me a fool for thinking of
engaging in such an undertaking, while at least half of
them confidently prophesy that if I make the attempt
I shall never return. Well, that is as may be ; plenty
of better fellows than I have gone under in such excur-
sions, but, on the other hand, as big duffers as I am
have done great things and turned up again all right,
so there is no particular reason that I can see why
I should not do the same. And so far as money is
concerned I have more than enough to enable me to
equip the expedition in such a manner as to ensure the
minimum of discomfort with the maximum of everything
necessary to success. The only item that I have had
any doubt as to my ability to obtain is — a suitable
companion; for of course in my maddest moments I
have never been ass enough to contemplate going into
so big a thing singlehanded. But the precise kind of
man that I want was not to be found either among
my friends or elsewhere at home, so I came away
without him, trusting that I should be lucky enough
to pick him up somewhere on the way ; and, by Jove,
Maitland, the event has justified my trust; for I have
found in you exactly the kind of man I have had in
my mind all along— or, rather, somebody better, for
in addition to your other qualifications you have very
considerable skill as a physician and surgeon, which
is what I never hoped to secure, even in my most
sanguine moments."

**Do you wish me to infer, then, that you are pro-

Phil Grosvenor's Proposition 6i

posing to take me as a hired assistant — or what?'
demanded Dick.

*'Well, yes — and no," answered Grosvenor, with
a somewhat embarrassed laugh. ** As a hired assistant,
certainly, because the services of a fellow like yourself
would be of incalcuable value to me, especially when
the inevitable sickness comes along. But I want par-
ticularly to secure you because — well, to be perfectly
plain and blunt, because I have taken a great fancy to
you, and because I recognize in you exactly the qualities
that would make of you not only an invaluable assistant
but also a perfectly ideal partner, friend, and companion.
Therefore, in your capacity as medical attendant to the
expedition I propose to offer you a regular fixed salary
of, let us say, two guineas a day, or, taking one month
with another, sixty-five pounds a month — the first six
months to be paid in advance — and, in your capacity of
partner, all the ivory, skins, and other matters which
we may accumulate during the progress of the expedi-
tion, except what I may desire to appropriate as trophies
wherewith to adorn the ancestral halls."

Dick laughed. ** Thank you very much," he said,

**but I couldn't possibly accede to your terms; they
are altogether too glaringly unfair. The salaried part
I don't at all object to, because of course If you desire
to include a medical man in your retinue you must pay
him a fair salary, and two guineas a day is not too
much, in my opinion. But when you come to talk
about my share of the spoils, in my capacity of your
partner, it becomes a different matter altogether, since
I cannot contribute a farthing to the expenses of the
expedition, therefore I cannot by any process of reason-
ing be entitled to any share of its possible profits.
No; if you care to engage me as doctor, at the salary
that you have named, I will accept the post with plea-
sure and my most hearty thanks, because the pay will

62 Adventures of Dick Maitland

suffice to keep the dear old Mater going; and whea
we return to civilization — if we ever do— I shall be
able to set about the task in earnest of * making my
fortune'."

** But, look here my dear fellow," remonstrated Gros-
venor, **it is just nonsense in you — if you will excuse
my saying so — to refuse the second part of my proposal,
for this reason. I am not undertaking this expedition
as a speculation, or with any idea of making it pay.
I have already a much larger income than I know what
to do with, and for that and other reasons money does
not come into the question at all. Like other fellows
who go hunting, I shall naturally desire to have a few
trophies to exhibit as tokens of my prowess; but, be-
yond those, I shall have no use at all for ivory, skins,
horns, and such other matters as we may acquire;
therefore you may as well have them as anyone else,
especially as you are avowedly out fortune-hunting.
Besides, two guineas a day is an altogether inadequate
rate of remuneration for a young fellow of your excep-
tional ability — why, before you had been practising a
month you would be earning four or five times that
amount, and you will be sacrificing that possibility for
an indefinite period if you elect to join forces with me.
Therefore I contend that if any profits of any kind
accrue to the expedition, you are justly entitled to them,
and I shall not be content unless you consent to take
them ; indeed if you refuse I shall be obliged to
withdraw my offer altogether, much as I shall regret
having to do so."

Under those circumstances there was of course nothing
more to be said; and finally Dick agreed to Gros-
venor's proposal in its entirety, the more readily that,
after all, when he came to reflect upon it, there was
much truth in what Grosvenor had said with regard
to the possible loss which Dick might sustain by attach-

Phil Grosvenor's Proposition 63

ing himself to the expedition and burying himself in the
wilds for a more or less indefinite period.

As time went on there could be no doubt as to the
fact that Grosvenor was genuinely pleased with the
arrangement by which he had secured Dick as his
companion in the projected expedition, nor did he
make any secret of the fact that he regarded the terms
of the agreement as eminently satisfactory from his
own point of view; while Dick, for his part, felt that
he had done not at all badly in securing a post at
a salary of sixty-five pounds a month, to be enjoyed
the moment that he set foot on shore. Moreover,
that salary was a sure thing for at least six months,
and since Grosvenor insisted upon paying in advance
for that period Dick would be in a position to remit
quite a nice little sum home to his mother, immediately
upon his arrival on South African soil. Both parties
to the agreement were thus equally satisfied, and thence-
forward devoted much of their time to elaborating their
plans, in order that no time should be lost upon their
arrival.

Grosvenor, with the confidence of the inexperienced,
was quite prepared unhesitatingly to plunge into the
very heart of darkest Africa with no other companions
than Dick, and a few Kafir or Hottentot **boys" as
servants; but Dick, although the younger of the two,
had discretion enough to understand that this would
be a very unwise thing to do, and that it would be
altogether more prudent in every way to secure the
services of some white man, well acquainted with the
country, and the ways and language of the natives,
to act as a sort of general overseer and factotum, and
this view Grosvenor at length somewhat unwillingly
accepted.

Meanwhile, Tom, the injured man, made the most
extraoi dinarily rapid progress toward recovery, under

64 Adventures of Dick Maitland

Dick's skilled treatment, much to the enhancement of
that young- gentleman's reputation; and some appreci-
able time before the period that Dick had named he
was out again and on duty, very little the worse for his
accident save that his right cheek bore a scar which he
would carry with him to his grave.

At length a day arrived when Captain Roberts,
having worked out his observations for the determi-
nation of the ship's latitude and longitude, made the
welcome announcement that, if the wind held and all
went well, the passengers, by this time thoroughly
weary of the — to most of them — changeless monotony
of sea and sky, might hope to feast their eyes upon
the glowing picture of a South African landscape within
the ensuing twenty - four hours ; and at once every-
body became cheerfully busy upon the task of packing
up in preparation for the joyous moment when they
might exchange the eternal movement of the rocking
deck for terra firma, and rejoice once more in the sight
of trees and grass and flowers, of busy streets, and of
the much-talked-of beauties of suburban Berea. Dick
Maitland's possessions were so few that they needed very
little packing to prepare them for transit from ship to
shore, and when he had finished he adjourned to Gros-
venor's cabin to assist that gentleman, who, since dis-
pensing with the services of a valet, seemed quite inca-
pable of replacing his possessions in the receptacles from
which he had taken them upon the beginning of the
voyage. The remainder of the day was passed in the
animated discussion of future plans and arrangements,
while one effect of the imminent termination of the long
ocean voyage was the sudden development of an amazing
access of cordiality between people who had hitherto
manifested but little interest in each other, accompanied
by pressing invitations to '* come and stay a few days at
my place whenever you happen to be in the neighbour-

Phil Grosvenor's Proposition 65

hood". Also a few of the more enthusiastic occupants
of the cuddy remained on deck until midnig"ht, in the
hope of catching a glimpse of the Bluff light before
turning in, only to retire to their cabins, discontented
and grumbling, because at eight bells the gleam still
obstinately refused to appear on the horizon over the
port bow, where Mr. Sutcliffe, the chief mate, had been
anxiously watching for it.

But full compensation came to the disappointed ones
when, awakened on the following morning about six
o'clock by the voice of the mate issuing certain sharp
orders from the poop, followed by the flinging down of
ropes upon the deck and the cheery **yo ho's " of the
sailors, as they threw their weight upon various portions
of the ship's running gear, the said disappointed ones
leaped from their bunks and hastened out on deck clad
only in pyjamas and overcoats ; for they found the ship
hove-to on the starboard tack with her head to the
eastward, while stretching away astern of them, from
the starboard to the port quarter, was the dominating
eminence of the Bluff, bush-clad from base to crest,
crowned with its lighthouse and signal staff — from the
latter of which was fluttering the answering pennant,
acknowledging the deciphering of the Concordia^s num-
ber — with the long breakwater jutting out into the sea
from its foot, while, nearer at hand, there stretched
across the scene the low outline of the Point, also
bush-crowned, with the roofs of a few houses and a
flagstaff or two showing above the verdure, the sandy
beach, with the eternal surf thundering upon it in long
lines of rainbow spray, reaching for mile after mile
athwart the ship's stern, and for background the far-
stretching ridge of the bush-clad, villa-studded range
of the Berea, the windows of its houses already ablaze
with the ardent beams of the newly risen sun. The
prospect is a charming one at any time, but never more

( C 327 ) 5

66 Adventures of Dick Maitland

so perhaps than when it is suddenly presented, fresh,
g^reen, and beautiful, in the clear atmosphere and the
light of early morning, to the vision of those whose
eyes, after seventy days of gazing upon sky and sea,
are yearning to behold once more the beauties of the
solid earth.

For a full hour the ship remained hove-to with her
head to seaward, during which an early breakfast was
served to the occupants of the cuddy; then, upon the
appearance of the tug coming out over the bar, the
Concordia wore round and headed inshore, the light
sails were rapidly clewed up or hauled down, the tow-
line was got ready for passing, and in a moment every-
thing was bustle and apparent confusion upon the ship's
decks, barefooted seamen rushing hither and thither,
flinging down coils of rope on deck, casting off hal-
yards and sheets, and dragging vociferously upon
clew - garnets, clewlines, downhauls, and the other
complicated paraphernalia of a ship's furniture, with
the captain shouting orders from the poop, and the
mate in charge of a gang of men on the forecastle
getting the anchor a-cockbill ready for letting go, and
preparing for the arrival of the tug alongside. Then
up came the little steamer, rolling and pitching heavily
upon the long ground swell, sweeping round in a long
curve that brought her all but alongside the wallowing
ship; a brief interchange of hails between her bridge
and the Concordia^ s poop, the sudden snaking out of a
whirling heaving-Iine from the forecastle of the latter,
followed by the thin but tremendously strong steel
towing hawser; and as the few remaining sheets of
the ship's canvas shrivelled in to the masts and yards
the tug passed ahead, the towrope rose dripping out
of the water, tautened to the semblance of a metal
rod, and away went the two craft, heading for the
middle of the space of water that divided the two

Phil Grosvenor's Proposition 67

breakwaters. Half an hour later the Concordia came
to an anchor in the spacious but shallow inner harbour
opposite the railway station, and the long voyage was
at an end.

But the eager passengers were not yet at liberty to
go on shore. Although the Concordia carried a clean
bill of health, certain formalities had yet to be gone
through ; the medical officer had still to satisfy himself
that there was no sickness of any infectious kind on
board before pratique was granted. And, as the medical
officer happened to be a thoroughly conscientious man,
the determination of this fact consumed a full hour.
But at length the tedious examination came to an
end, the ship was pronounced perfectly healthy, and
the boats which had been hovering round her were
permitted to come alongside. Then ensued a few
minutes of strenuous bargaining between passengers
and boatmen, at the end of which time Dick and Gros-
venor, having said goodbye to the captain and officers
— Dick also included the crew in his farewell — found
themselves being pulled across the few yards of water
which intervened beween ship and shore, and presently
they stood upon the sun-blistered wharf fighting their
way through an odoriferous crowd of shouting, laugh-
ing, gesticulating, and more than half- naked Kafir
rickshawmen who clamoured for the honour of drag-
ging them the mile or so that separated the Point
from Durban. But the Custom House officers had
first to be placated, and Grosvenor disgustedly found
himself obliged to disburse a goodly sum as duty upon
his firearms and ammunition before he was permitted
to retain possession of them. At length, however, the
Customs barrier was successfully negotiated ; and then
Dick in one rickshaw, Grosvenor in another, and
their baggage in a third, the two friends proceeded
in triumph along the bush-bordered road, over the level

68 Adventures of Dick Maitland

crossing- of the railway, and so up Smith Street to the
Royal Hotel, where they purposed to put up for a day
or two, and where, upon their arrival, they joined their
fellow passengers at a hilarious second breakfast in
accordance with an arrangement made at the cabin
table a few hours earlier.

CHAPTER V

The Beginning of the Adventure

The second breakfast over, farewells were spoken —
with, in some cases, the promise to meet ag-ain speedily
— and the voyagers separated, some to make their way
home to their sugar or coffee estates in the neighbour-
hood, others to take train to more distant localities,
some three or four being bound as far afield as Johan-
nesburg or Pretoria — and Dick, with his friend Gros-
venor, set out to wander about the town of Durban,
inspect the shops, pass through the aristocratic quarter
of the Berea, per tram, and finally, on a couple of
horses hired from the hotel stable, to ride out to the
River Umgeni, and thence to Sea Cow Lake, in the
vain hope of getting a sight of a few of the hippo-
potami that were said to still haunt that piece of
water; finally returning to the hotel in time for dinner,
hot, tired, but supremely happy, and delighted with
everything that they had seen.

During the progress of the meal they made the
acquaintance of a Mr, Gerald Muspratt, a coffee
planter, whose estate was situate some twelve miles
distant, in the adjoining county of Victoria; and, the
acquaintance ripening over the after-dinner coffee, with
that breathless celerity which is one of the most charm-
ing characteristics of the Colonies, before retiring for
the night the two friends had accepted Muspratt*s very
pressing invitation to ride out with him to his place

69

70 Adventures of Dick Maitland

next morning, and spend a couple of days there with
him to look round the estate and be introduced to
Muspratt*s two or three neighbours. This they did
in due course, the two days' visit lengthening itself
into four, and ending by the acceptance of another invi-
tation, this time from a sugar planter whose estate,
Mount Pleasant, was situate some fourteen miles
farther up the coast, on the other side of the Umhloti
River. This invitation Dick would fain have declined,
for he was impatient to begin the real business that lay
before them; but Grosvenor was so charmed with the
country and everything that he saw in it, and especially
with the spontaneous kindness, friendliness, and hos-
pitality of its people, that he seemed in no hurry to
rush away from it all and bury himself in the wilder-
ness. As it happened, neither of the young men had
any reason to regret the time thus spent, for their host,
an old-time transport rider, named Mitchell, had pene-
trated far beyond the Zambezi in his younger days,
was an experienced hunter, knew the interior, its in-
habitants, and their peculiarities as well as, if not
better than, any other man living, and was brimful
of information and hints absolutely invaluable to the
new arrivals, which he freely imparted. When told
of the nature and scope of the young men's projected
adventure, however, he shook his head dubiously, and
strongly urged them to abandon the idea of attempting
more than just a few months' big-game shooting.

"Mind you," he said, *' I strongly sympathize with
you in your very ambitious aims, ridiculous as many
men would pronounce them, for I was animated by pre-
cisely the same desire myself when I was a youngster
of about your age," turning to Grosvenor.

** By Jove! you don't say so?" ejaculated Grosvenor,
surprised and delighted to meet a man of such wide
experience as Mitchell who did not pronounce his

Beginning of the Adventure 71

plans chimerical; for it must be stated that thus far
the enunciation of those plans had been almost invari-
ably received with either covert or open ridicule.
"Then," he continued, "do I understand that you
believe in the possibility of finding the site of ancient
Ophir?"

"Well — yes — you may understand me to mean that
— in a general way," was Mitchell's somewhat guarded
admission. " But," he continued, " if you ask whether
I think it probable that you will discover either Ophir
or the mysterious white race which rumour has asserted
to exist somewhere in the far interior, I answer: Cer-
tainly not."

"The dickens!" exclaimed Grosvenor. "But why,
my dear sir, why?"

"Well — if you will not be offended by my exceeding
candour — chiefly because I think you both much too
young and too inexperienced to have any chance of
succeeding in so very formidable an undertaking,"
was the somewhat discouraging reply.

"Yes, of course,", admitted Grosvenor, "it is true
that we are both quite inexperienced ; but our youth
is surely in our favour rather than against us, for we
are strong and healthy, and no doubt will soon become
inured to fatigue, hardship, and even privation. We
both have splendid constitutions; and, moreover, my
friend Maitland here is a doctor and surgeon of quite
remarkable ability, which fact I regard as of the utmost
importance. Then, as to the matter of experience, I
imagine that we are bound to acquire that as we go
on; we are not going to be transported into the heart
of the wilds in a few hours by express train, you
know."

"No," answered Mitchell, with a somewhat grim
smile, "that is quite true, as is also your contention
that you will acquire some experience as you go on.

72 Adventures of Dick Maitland

Then, of course, the fact that Mr. Maitland is a doctor
and surgeon — of which I was unaware — is a great point
in your favour. But, when all is said, I still think
that you will find the undertaking too much for you.

Why By the way, did you ever hear of a certain

Charles Menzies?"

*'The explorer, you mean? Yes, I have heard of
him ; in fact I believe it was an account of his travels
that first put this idea into my head," answered Gros-
venor.

* * Ah ! " remarked Mitchell cryptically ; " I wonder just
how much you have heard respecting his travels?"

"Well, not very much, I must confess," acknow-
ledged Grosvenor, **So far as I can remember, it
amounted simply to the statement that after one of his
long absences from civilization he returned with the
story that he had actually discovered the site of ancient
Ophir; and that he had gathered reliable information
concerning the existence of the mysterious white race,
which is to be one of the objects of my quest."

**Just so," commented Mitchell, relapsing into a
pregnant silence. It was evident that he was intently
considering some difficult question. Presently he looked
up and said :

** I knew Menzies very well in my younger days. As
a matter of fact I saved his life ; for had I not happened
to have fallen in with him and picked him up he must
have inevitably perished; and in that case the public
would never have heard any of the extraordinary
rumours respecting his discoveries that afterwards
leaked out. I was away up-country elephant hunting
at the time, and I found him, some seventy miles this
side of the Zambezi, in the last stages of exhaustion
from starvation. He was then returning from the jour-
ney that made him famous, and had lost everything he
possessed, even to his rifle; it is therefore nothing short

Beginning of the Adventure 73

of marvellous that he had contrived to make his way
as far back as he did when I found him. He was too
ill to talk much when I first picked him up, but after-
wards, when he grew stronger, he told me the whole
astounding story of his journey and his adventures.
He talked of publishing the narrative, but I very
strongly dissuaded him from doing so ; for, as I pointed
out to him, there were portions of that narrative which
were of so absolutely incredible a character that nobody
would believe them, and the story would lose all value
from the fact that it would be regarded as merely a
fantastic fabrication, and he would gain the reputation
of an unblushing romancer. To tell you the truth, I

was firmly persuaded at the time that what he had gone
through had affected his brain, and that he was the
victim of a series of the most weird and horrible illu-
sions. But I had reason to modify my opinion in that
respect a few years afterward, although I am still
unable to make up my mind definitely as to just how
much of his story was true and how much was due
to an imagination that had become warped and dis-
torted by peril and suffering,"

**By Jove!" exclaimed Grosvenor, with a sort of
thrill in his voice. *' I say, you know, all this is in-
tensely interesting. Eh, what? I wonder if you would
mind repeating to us a few of those statements that
you found it so difficult to believe at the time, and with
regard to which you were afterwards inclined to modify
your opinion?"

** Well," answered Mitchell, ** I am afraid I must ask
you to excuse me from doing that. You see, Menzies
was my friend, and one of the finest fellows that ever
lived. He is dead now, poor chap, and I would not

willingly say a single word that might cause you or
anyone else to think lightly of him, or picture him in
your mind as other than the very soul of truth and

74 Adventures of Dick Maitland

honour. Yet if I were to repeat to you some of the
statements that I have -in my mind, I know that you
two hard-headed, matter-of-fact Englishmen would at
once set them down as the veriest fairy tales, their
author a second Munchausen, and myself a credulous
old fool for attaching the slightest weight to them.
And yet, let me tell you, Africa is a very queer country —
as you will discover if you persist in attempting to carry
out your plan — and queer things happen in it, things
that strain a man's credulity to the breaking -point,
until he has had personal experience of them. That
remark of Shakespeare's, that * there are more things
in heaven and earth than are reckoned in our philo-
sophy * is nowhere more forcefully confirmed than in
this continent of Africa, and especially in those parts
of it which are practically unknown to the white man.
Why, even here, close at hand, among our neighbours
the Zulus, there have been happenings — well authen-
ticated, mind you — that are absolutely unexplainable
by any knowledge that we whites possess. But I
think I have prosed enough for one sitting, and it is
growing late — one o'clock, as I am a living sinner! —
and you must be growing tired. Do you wonder why
I have told you all these things? Well, it is because
I should like to dissuade you from this mad scheme
of yours, which my experience tells me can only end
in disaster, and induce you to content yourselves with
a two-months' hunting trip in the company of some
good man who knows the country, and can be trusted
to see that you come to no harm. Now, good night,
both of you! think over what I have said; sleep well,
and don't dream of fantastic horrors such as my talk
may have suggested."

If Mr. Joseph Mitchell, sugar planter, and thoroughly
honest, well-meaning man, flattered himself that the
foregoing conversation would have any other effect

Beginning of the Adventure 75

than to stimulate the curiosity of his guests and con-
firm them in their determination to carry out their
plans in their entirety, he very gfreatly overestimated
his persuasive powers, and completely misread the
characters of those to whom he had been talking. For
both Grosvenor and Maitland were of a highly adven-
turous disposition, and what Mitchell had told them
had simply whetted their curiosity to a keen edge, and
had strongly suggested to them that the adventure
promised to be of an even more alluring and thrilling
character than they had ever ventured to hope, even in
their most sanguine moments. So much, indeed, they
made clear to their host when they met him the next
morning at the breakfast table ; and, when he would
have made a further attempt at dissuasion, laughingly
assured him that their minds were finally made up,
and that the kindest thing he could now do for them
would be to give them as much information and as
many hints and wrinkles as he could think of to help
them to a satisfactory conclusion of the adventure.
This Mitchell proceeded to do, when at length the con-
viction had been borne in upon him that all his efforts
at dissuasion were worse than useless ; and when, two
days later, they took leave of the genial planter, Dick
carried away with him a notebook crowded from cover
to cover with information that was destined to prove
of incalculable value to him and his companion, as well
as a sketch map showing the best route to follow, and
certain localities that were to be most carefully avoided
if they desired to return sane and sound to civilization.

Arrived in Durban once more, after a most delightful
jaunt, they at once set about making their preparations
in earnest, one of the first things which Grosvenor in-
sisted upon doing being the payment to Dick of six
months* salary in advance, from the date of their land-
ing upon South African soil. Practically the whole of

76 Adventures of Dick Maitland

this Dick was able to remit home to his mother, since
Grosvenor would not hear of his contributing so much
as a single penny toward the expenses of the expedi-
tion, therefore the junior member of the partnership had
no need to spend anything, except for a few curios
which he thought his mother might like to display to
her friends ; but he laid in a few additional drugs, and
also added a spare instrument or two to his surgical
case, to cover the possibility of loss or accident.

Three days later they started for Johannesburg, by
way of Delagoa Bay and Pretoria, Grosvenor being
very anxious to get a glimpse of life on the Rand
and to gain some knowledge of diamonds and diamond
mining before he finally bade farewell to civilization.
Since Johannesburg lay on the direct line of their
route, and the knowledge sought might possibly prove
useful in the future, Dick raised no objection to the
proposal, especially as they went armed with letters of
introduction from Mitchell to some of the most influ-
ential of the Rand magnates and others whose advice
and assistance would be exceedingly helpful. A busy
three weeks spent in the city and at WItwatersrand
enriched them with much very valuable information, both
particular and general, and also enabled them to acquire
four excellent horses and an Indian coolie groom named
Ramoo Samee, who not only bore a most admirable
character, but also raised no objection when informed
of the nature and scope of the adventure upon which
his employers were bound. Here, too, and also at
Pretoria, the partners endeavoured to secure the ser-
vices of a hunter as guide and general superintendent,
but were unable to meet with one who conformed in
all respects to their requirements; they therefore ulti-
mately decided to defer their further quest until their
arrival in Bulawayo, which was to be the point from
which they would finally bid farewell to civilization.

Beginning of the Adventure 77

But upon their arrival at Bulawayo, although they
met with no difficulty in providing themselves with a
brand-new wagon and a team of twenty ** salted " oxen,
together with a Hottentot driver named Jantje, and a
Kafir boy named 'Nkuku as voorlouper, no suitable
candidate for the post of guide offered himself or could
be found; and finally, after devoting a full week to
fruitless search and enquiry, Dick and Grosvenor
agreed to start without one, and trust to luck and
their own good sense. Everybody, with one solitary
exception, declared that it was a most risky thing to
do; but the solitary exception, in the shape of an old
Boer farmer named Van Zyl, applauded their pluck,
and declared that they were far more likely to succeed
by learning the lesson of the wild for themselves, and
depending upon their own courage and adaptiveness,
than if they set out under the guidance of another,
and remained more or less in leading strings through-
out the journey.

"What I would advise," he said, ** is that you should
look out for a good * nigger *; he will be far more help-
ful to you than any white man, and will be content to
be a good servant to you — if you are careful to keep him
in his proper place — instead of trying to be your master."

This sounded like good, sensible advice, coming as
it did from a man who had been born, brought up,
and had spent a long life on the borderline separating
civilization from savagedom, and it finally confirmed
them in the determination, to which they had already
practically come, to do without a white guide.

According to Mitchell, their route from Bulawayo lay
generally in a north-easterly direction, and accordingly,
after transacting all their business, making every pos-
sible preparation for the long journey before them, and
writing their final letters home, announcing the fact that
they were about to plunge into the wilderness, and that,

78 Adventures of Dick Maitland

therefore, no further news must be expected of them for
an indefinite period, they set out about ten o'clock on
a certain glorious morning, boldly striking straight out
across the veldt, and directing their course by compass.
Their wagon was already fully loaded, the load consist-
ing of several air-tight cases of ammunition, six barrels
of flour, a cask of sugar, a bag of coffee, a chest of tea, a
small keg of brandy — to be used only in cases of the ut-
most emergency — a case containing pickles, condiments,
preserves, salt, and other articles of a similar character,
to be regarded as luxuries and used accordingly; their
own personal belongings including clothes and fire-
arms, a small tent made of waterproof material for
sleeping in, two net hammocks with portable supports,
a full set of cooking utensils, four sacks of mealle meal,
and, finally, two large boxes of beads of various kinds,
a quantity of brass wire, and a case of cheap mechani-
cal and other toys, small mirrors, &c., which Gros-
venor had had the foresight to bring out from
England with him, the last three items being destined
to be employed in bartering with the natives. All this
constituted quite as heavy a load as it was at all de-
sirable to put upon the wagon, although the full team
of twenty oxen made light of it, especially as it was
now the dry season, and the ground was firm and
hard for travelling. As for Dick and Grosvenor, they
travelled on horseback, changing their steeds at every
outspan, in order to accustom the animals to them, and
gradually to get them Into good, hard condition by
working them to a certain extent every day. They
rode armed each with a good, serviceable sporting
rifle, capable of dealing with practically any game
except elephant, a formidable hunting knife, and a
revolver; and, in addition, each of them carried a pair
of the finest and most powerful binocular glasses that
Grosvenor had been able to procure in London. He

Beginning of the Adventure 79

had had the foresight to provide two pairs in case of
accident, which was fortunate, for now each rider was
independent of the other. Acting upon the advice of
their friend Van Zyl, they confined themselves strictly
to short treks, averaging about five miles each, and
three treks per day, for the first four days, in order to
keep the oxen in good condition as long as possible.

Those first four days of their march were quite un-
eventful, the going was good, the grass still rich and
abundant, water plentiful, and there was just enough
game to keep the party well supplied with meat, while
the animals worked well and improved in condition
rather than otherwise, especially the horses, which
proved to be even more promising than their owners
had hoped for when they purchased them.

It was on the morning of the fifth day that the party
encountered what might be spoken of as their first
exciting incident, and it occurred, or rather began, as
they were nearing the end of their first trek, about
nine o'clock in the morning. Dick and Grosvenor,
mounted as usual, with the half-dozen dogs that con-
stituted their pack quartering the ground ahead of
them, were nearly a mile ahead of the wagon, looking
out for a suitable spot for the first outspan, when a
sudden clamour on the part of the dogs, who had just
disappeared over a low rise in the ground, caused the
two riders to put spurs to their horses, in order to see
what was the cause of the outcry. A short gallop
sufficed to carry them to the crest of the ridge, when
they beheld the dogs baying and snarling round a fine,
well-set-up native '* boy ", who, armed with assagais and
knobkerrie, constituted one of a party of some thirty
in number who appeared to be guarding a herd of
about three hundred grazing cattle, while about half
a mile farther on was a native village of some fifty
Kafir huts of the usual beehived shape, built in the

8o Adventures of Dick Maitland

midst of a number of mealie fields occupying' an area
of, roughly, about half a square mile, situated near
the banks of a small stream.

Dick Maitland, who had early developed a rather
remarkable aptitude for picking up the language of
the natives, at once cantered forward, and, calling off
the dogs, demanded to know the name of the village,
and where would be the best place at which to out-
span. But the native whom he addressed, and who
seemed to be labouring under considerable excitement,
replied with such a rapid flow of words that his speech
was utterly unintelligible, save that his communication
had something to do with lions, the boy pointing first
to a big clump of bush about a mile distant, and then
to the village itself. Dick made several attempts to
arrive at a better understanding of the nature of the
communication, but without any very marked success,
and at length suggested that Grosvenor should ride
back to the wagon and hurry it forward, in order that
Jantje, the Hottentot driver, might act as interpreter.
This was done, and about twenty minutes later the
wagon arrived, and the situation was explained to
Jantje, who forthwith poured out a flood of eloquence
upon the little band of natives, who by this time had
gathered round Dick and were earnestly endeavouring
to make him understand something that they evidently
regarded as of very great importance. A brief but
animated conversation at once ensued, at the end of
which Jantje turned to his employers and explained:

*'Dhese people say, sars, dat dhere is four, five Hon
in de bush yander and dhey won' go 'way, and dhey
wan' to know if white gent'men be so kind as to kill
dhem lion; because if dhey not be killed dhey kill de
poor Kafirs' cattle. Two day ago dhem lion kill two
oxen and mos' horrible maul de boy dat was herding
dhem."

Beginning of the Adventure 8r

**Phew! lions, eh?" exclaimed Grosvenor. "I say,
Maitland, this is good news, eh, what? I am longing
for the chance to have a pot at a lion. All right,
Jantje; you tell them that we will kill the lions for
them with the greatest of pleasure. We'll outspan at
once and set about the business forthwith. That will
be the right thing to do, I suppose, Dick, won't it?"

** Yes, certainly," answered Dick, ** by all means. But
before we think of tackling those lions I must see that
poor beggar who was mauled. Two days ago ! By
Jove, I dread to think of what the state of his wounds
must be in this hot weather, that is, if he is still
alive. Just ask them, Jantje, whether the boy who
was mauled is still living, or whether the lions killed
him?"

The question was put, and Jantje duly interpreted
the reply.

"Yes, sar, de boy he still alive, but most drefful
sick, dhese people say."

* * Good ! " exclaimed Dick, dismounting from his horse.
'*Then say to them that I am a great doctor, and that
I intend to save the poor fellow's life if I can. I want
one of them to carry my medicine chest for me, and
to take me to the injured man's hut. Then you had
better take the wagon down and outspan near the
river, where the grass is good, but where our oxen
are not likely to get among the mealies, and then
come to me, for I shall probably need you to inter-
pret for me."

The first part of this speech being interpreted to the
little crowd of natives, one of them at once stepped
forward, expressing himself as willing to carry the
medicine chest and act as guide, while another volun-
teered to point out a suitable and convenient spot
upon which to outspan, the others forthwith breaking
into a song of thanksgiving in which they announced

(0 327) 6

82 Adventures of Dick Maitland

to all and sundry that this was their lucky day, inas-
much as that the white ^mlungus were not only g'oing
to make well again their brother who was nigh unto
death, but were also going to utterly root out and
destroy those cunning beasts who refused to come

r

out into the open and face their assagais. Grosvenor
announced his intention of accompanying Dick, and five

minutes later the pair, with their sable guide leading
the way and carrying the medicine chest, were en
route for the village, Dick carrying his case of surgical
instruments under his arm. Their rifles they left with
the wagon, deeming it unnecessary to cumber them-
selves with superfluous weapons in face of the fact
that the villagers were obviously quite friendly dis-
posed to white men, indeed they were still too close
to civilization to anticipate anything else.

As they neared the village the **boy" who preceded
them began to shout the great news that the white men
were coming to make whole the injured man, and the
occupants of the huts, to the number of about two
hundred men, women, and children, swarmed out to
gaze upon the strangers. The guide, who was inclined
to put on airs, upon the strength of being the bearer
of the white men's muti^ would fain have made the
most of the occasion by pausing in the centre of the
village and haranguing his fellows, but Dick nipped
the intention ruthlessly in the bud by repeating several
times, in an imperative tone of voice, the word hatnha
(go), and presently the procession — for every occupant
of the village formed up and followed the trio — came
to a halt in front of one of the huts.

As the bearer of the medicine chest pushed his burden
in through the low, narrow entrance of the hut, and
dropped on hands and knees in order to follow it,
Dick turned and, perceiving a disposition on the part
of the crowd to gather close about the entrance, and

Beginning of the Adventure 83

so exclude what little light and air might otherwise
make its way in, took an assagai from the hand of
an astonished native, and, holding it by the blade,,
waved the press back with the butt end of the weapon.
Then, still waving the butt end, he described on the
ground the arc of a circle of some twelve feet radius
from the hut entrance, and, returning the weapon to
its owner, pointed to the mark on the ground, and,
addressing the curiosity-ridden mob, said impressively
in English :

"Now, good people, please have the goodness to
keep carefully outside that line, and oblige yours
truly!"

There was not one of those odoriferous, dark-skinned
Kafirs who comprehended a word of English, but Dick's
actions and the tones of his voice were so expressive
that his meaning was almost as distinctly understood
as though he had spoken in the language of the tribe.
He saw at once that this was so, and that his wishes
would be obeyed, and signing to Grosvenor to precede
him, forthwith passed into the hut.

Entering the windowless structure straight from the
dazzling sunshine that flooded the outside world, the
two Englishmen found themselves plunged for the
moment in a darkness so profound that they could see
nothing, and were fain to stand just where they rose
to their feet after creeping through the low doorway,
lest, moving, they should stumble over something —
possibly the patient. But in addition to the hot, close
odour of the interior of the hut there was another taint
that assailed their nostrils, the taint of festering wounds,
with which Dick was already familiar, and he shook
his head doubtfully as he turned to the figure of Gros-
venor, just beginning to reveal itself in the midst of
the enveloping obscurity, and said:

" I don't like this at all. I can't see my patient>

§4 Adventures of Dick Maitland

as yet, but there is a certain something in the atmos-
phere of this hut which tells me that if the poor beggar's
life is to be saved we have no time to waste. Where
is he, I wonder? Oh, I think I see him, there on the
ground at the far side from the doorway! Yes, there

F

he is. Another minute and I shall be able to see him
clearly. Meanwhile, perhaps his pulse will tell us
something."

And, crossing to the far side of the hut, he knelt
down by the side of the indistinctly seen man, felt
for his hand, and, having found it, laid his fingers
upon the wrist.

CHAPTER VI

An Encounter with Lions

"Um!" murmured Dick, as the feeble throbbing- of the
man's pulse met his fing^er tips; ** quite as I expected.
Very low and weak. Evidently sinking* from exhaustion.
I must have him out of this into a better light, although
I am almost afraid to run the risk of moving him. Still,
it must be done. I can see nothing here."

He went to the door of the hut and looked out, the
crowd still grouped on the outside of the curve he had
described on the ground respectfully making way be-
fore him. There was a small but densely foliaged tree
growing at no great distance from the hut, and casting
a strong shadow upon the ground; that, Dick decided,
would be as good a place as any for his purpose. As
he was about to re-enter the hut there arose a slight
commotion upon the outskirts of the crowd, and pre-
sently Jantje, the Hottentot driver, appeared, endeavour-
ing to force his way through to his master. The sight
was a welcome one, for Dick felt very much at a loss
with no one to interpret for him, and in tones of un-
mistakable relief he lifted up his voice and shouted:

'*Come along, Jantje; you are just the man I
wanted." Then, as the Hottentot joined him, he
continued: **See here, Jantje, I want the wounded man
very carefully removed from the hut, and carried over
yonder into the shadow of that tree. Just explain

85

86 Adventures of Dick Maitland

to these fellows, will you, and ask them to help

me."

No sooner said than done; with the passing of the
last word through Jantje's lips half a dozen stalwart
Kafirs dived into the hut and in another moment
reappeared, bearing between them the unhappy patient,
stretched upon an eland's skin. It was an exceedingly

awkward job to get the poor fellow out through the
low, narrow doorway of the hut, but they managed it
somehow, and in another minute had him satisfac-
torily disposed beneath the shadow of the tree. Then
Dick approached and proceeded to examine his

hurts.

They had been severe enough to start with ; but
now, after nearly forty-eight hours of neglect, their
condition was so indescribably loathsome that even
Dick, seasoned hand though he was, nearly vomited at
the sight of them, while as for Grosvenor, he was
compelled to beat a precipitate retreat, but returned
gamely, some five minutes later, to see if he could be
of any assistance. Dick, however, although he had
never in his life before beheld anything approaching
such a dreadful sight, quickly pulled himself together
and, his professional instinct promptly asserting itself,
ordered some hot water to be brought to him, and,
while it was being prepared, opened his medicine chest
and his case of surgical instruments, the rest of the
inhabitants of the village gathering round in a wide,
silent, awestruck circle. They had often before seen
similar sights, and were therefore in a measure accus-
tomed to them; they knew what the patient's condition
meant, and there was not one among them who did
not regard the injured man as already as good as
dead. Nevertheless their curiosity was powerfully
aroused; for they had heard many wonderful stories
of the white men who had lately come into the country

An Encounter with Lions 87

toward the south, and were eager to see whether or
not it was true that they could perform miracles, as
had been asserted.

As for Dick, he found himself confronted at the
outset by a very serious difficulty. His patient's con-
dition was such that he could not possibly do what
was necessary without inflicting upon the unfortunate
man an amount of suffering that in his low and ex-
hausted condition threatened to result in collapse and
death. The man was too far gone, indeed, to justify
the use of anaesthetics, yet without them Dick feared
to proceed. What was he to do? Suddenly he be-
thought himself of hypnotism. Yet, how hypnotize a
man whose language he could not speak? Then he
remembered a very remarkable statement which Hum-
phreys had made when discussing this same subject of
hypnotism. ** It is not the actual words which you
address to a patient," Humphreys had asserted, *'but
the commands which your will imposes on him that
produce the desired effect, which can be obtained
without the employment of words at all, if your will
be strong enough. And remember, also, that no ab-
normal strength of will is needed if your patient be
passive, unresisting." ** Surely," thought Dick, **that
ought to meet the present case, and at all events it is
well worth trying; so here goes." Therewith he bent
over his patient and, fixing the man*s gaze in the
peculiar manner which Humphreys had taught him,
silently willed him to sink into so deep a sleep that he
should feel nothing of what was about to be done to
him. Almost immediately the man's eyelids fluttered,
closed, and he sank into a profound sleep, breathing
slowly and deeply, as could be seen by the regular rise
and fall of his bare, brawny chest.

** Waof ^mtagati — 'mkulu ^mtagati (a wizard — a great
wizard)!" murmured the astonished crowd of onlookers

88 Adventures of Dick Maitland

behind their hands, gazing wonderingly in each other*s
eyes.

Again Dick laid his fingers on his patient's pulse;
already it was stronger and more steady. Very gently
he raised one of the man's eyelids and lightly laid his
finger upon the eyeball ; the patient might have been
dead for all the effect that the touch had upon him.
Then, the warm water opportunely arriving, the young
doctor got to work without further delay. Strongly
impregnating the water with an antiseptic, he pro-
ceeded rapidly to cleanse the wounds, taking a pair
of scissors or a knife from time to time and removing
the already putrefying flesh; then he proceeded to dress
the wounds, one after the other, with healing oint-
ments, drawing the edges together, where necessary,
with a few stitches; and when at length, after more
than an hour's diligent, careful work, his labours came
to an end, he ordered the wagon cartel to be brought
to the village, the door of the man's hut to be enlarged,
and a window opening to be made; and finally, when
all these things had been done to his satisfaction, he
caused a comfortable bed to be arranged upon the
cartel, with skins borrowed from other huts, and the
man to be laid thereon and taken back to his hut.
And all this time the patient had been sleeping as
calmly as an infant! The time had now, however,
arrived when he must be aroused, in order that an
antifebrifuge might be administered ; Dick therefore
once more bent over the man, strongly willing him
to awake, which he instantly did, when, through Jantje
as interpreter, the question was put to him how he felt.
He immediately replied, in a wonderfully strong voice,
considering his condition, that he felt much better, and
that his wounds were no longer so painful as they
had been; whereupon Dick administered the draught,
telling him, still through Jantje, that immediately after

An Encounter with Lions 89

taking it he would again fall asleep and so remain
until the evening, when he would awake much refreshed
and stronger. And while the words were being spoken
Dick strongly willed that they should be fulfilled. The
man obediently gulped down the draught, Dick gently
lowered the patient's head to the pillow, and again deep
sleep fell upon the poor fellow.

**Now," ordered Dick, ** I want two women to come
and watch by this man. They must constantly fan
him with leaves, to keep him cool and prevent the flies
from troubling him ; and when he wakes someone
must immediately fetch me. I shall be in my tent
by the wagon, yonder." Then, turning to Grosve-

nor, who had remained at his elbow all the time, he
said:

"No more trekking for us to-day, Phil, or for the
next week, I expect. I must stay, and pull this poor
chap through, if I can, now that I have taken him in
hand."

* * Oh yes ! rather ; of course ; that goes without
saying," cheerfully assented Grosvenor. *'But, I say,
Dick, old chap," he continued, "you have astonished
me to-day, fairly taken my breath away; I hadn't the
slightest notion that you were such a swell at your
profession as you have just proved yourself to be.
Never saw anything like it in my life before, y'know,
and couldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it. Why,
I wouldn't have given three ha'pence for that Kafir's
life when I first set eyes upon him; but now, dash it
all, I believe you're going to set him on his feet again.
If you do, your fame will spread far and wide through
the country, and do us a lot of good. But, I say, it
was a jolly lucky thing for you that the poor chap
dropped off into that sound sleep just when he did,
eh? Because it enabled you to do several things that,
it seems to me, you couldn't possibly have done had

90 Adventures of Dick Maitland

he remained awake. What puzzles me is that he con-
tinued to sleep all through it. And I noticed that you
didn't seem to worry in the least about whether you
awoke him or not. I suppose it was sleep, was it
not?"

** Oh yes !" answered Dick airily; '* it was sleep, right
enough; nothing in the nature of swoon about it, if
that is what you mean. But now, what about those
lions? My patient will sleep for several hours to come,
and I can quite well leave him. It is now" — consulting
his watch — **only a few minutes past eleven o'clock,
and we ought to be able to organize the hunt and
bag the beasts comfortably before tiffin. Are you
game?"

**You bet I am, rather!" responded Grosvenor.
" It is just what I was itching to suggest, but I thought
it would seem callous to propose that you should leave
your patient, and it would not have been sporting to
have proposed to go off alone, leaving you behind,"

*'Oh, that is all right!" returned Dick confidently;
**my patient will not need me for hours yet, so let
us see about it at once. Where is Jantje?"

Jantje was close at their elbows, and already ** put-
ting on side" among the villagers upon the strength
of being in the service of an ^tnkulu ^mtagatu He
stepped forward at the question and answered, with
an air of proud humility:

** I'se here, sar. What you please to want?"

**Mr. Grosvenor and I are going to have a try for
those lions, Jantje, if they are still lurking in the
neighbourhood," observed Dick. '*I believe you said
that these people report the beasts to be somewhere
in yonder clump of bush? Very well. Now, I want
a party to enter the bush on the windward side and
carefully beat down wind in order to drive the brutes
into the open. Mr. Grosvenor and I will place our-

An Encounter with Lions 91

selves on the down-wind side of the bush, and if the
lions can be induced to break cover we will do our
best to bowl them over. We shall also require two
steady, reliable men to come with us to carry our
spare rifles; but, understand this, they must be men
of courage, who will not be scared out of their seven
senses and bolt, carrying* our rifles off with them, if
the lions should show in the open."

*' Yes, sar," answered Jantje, ** I understan' you
puffekly. You leave everyt'ing to me, sar; I arrange
it all, jus' as you wish. An* I will come wid you my-
self, sar, to carry gun. I am a brabe man, sar; no
pusson in dhis worl' more brabe as me ; you shall
see, sar."

**Very well," answered Dick, suppressing a smile
at the Hottentot's vainglorious boast; **you, being so
exceedingly brave and reliable shall go with Mr.
Grosvenor; but you must pick me out a good man
to come with me. Just see about it, will you, and
bring the whole party to the wagon, where we are
now going to get our rifles."

Puffed up with the honour of having so important
a matter confided to him, the Hottentot saluted, and
turned to address the crowd that still hung about the
white men awaiting possible further developments, ex-
plaining to them what was required. A few words
sufficed, and the moment that the white man's inten-
tions and wishes were understood the crowd dissolved,
as if by magic, the men hurrying away to their huts
to procure their weapons, while Dick and Grosvenor
sauntered away toward the wagon, noting, as they
went, that their team of oxen had been driven to a
spot where the grass was especially good, close to the
banks of the river, and that it was being zealously
watched and guarded by a dozen well - grown lads
armed with hunting assagais and knobkerries.

92 Adventures of Dick Maitland

Arrived at the wagon, the two friends proceeded
to bringf forth and don their bandoliers, having* first
satisfied themselves that the belts were filled with the
kind of cartridge required for the particular pattern
of weapon which they were about to employ; and then,
having" taken down and loaded the four rifles which
they intended to use, they awaited the arrival of the
beating party, conscious now, for the first time, of a
peculiar and not altogether pleasant feeling com-
pounded of excitement and— was it **funk"? No,
certainly not, for neither of them would have backed
out of the adventure on any account; yet, if the sen-
sation was not "funk", it bore some sort of family
resemblance to it, something perhaps, in the nature
of stage fright. The fact is that each realized, at
nearly the same monTent, that they were about to
embark upon a perfectly new experience, an adventure
in which they were as yet untried, In which courage
and the most perfect sangfroid were of the utmost
importance, and they were by no means certain how
they would emerge from the ordeal. To put it plainly,
they were just a little afraid that at the critical moment
they might fail to exhibit that superlative coolness and
aplomb, the slightest lack of which would cause each
to feel for ever humiliated and disgraced in the eyes
of the other. Besides, there were the natives, keen of
eye, and quick to observe the smallest sign of anything
approaching to perturbation ; it would be awful beyond
words to fail before them! By a curious coincidence
the mind of each had been following precisely the same
line of thought, and as they saw Jantje approaching,
followed by some forty beaters and every mongrel cur
belonging to the village, the same resolution came to
each — they simply would not disgrace themselves and
their colour by displaying the slightest sign of nervous-
ness or trepidation in the eyes of those savages; so,

An Encounter with Lions 93

drawing a deep breath, they pulled themselves together
and, resolutely dismissing their apprehensions, prepared
to do or die.

Proudly leading his party of beaters, the Hottentot
approached and, giving a sort of semi-military salute,
announced that the villagers but awaited the orders of
the white chiefs to proceed. Then, leading forward a
tall savage of some thirty-live years of age, of magnifi-
cent physique, he introduced the man as Mafuta, the
half-brother of the injured man, and informed Dick that
he, Mafuta, had specially requested the honour of being
allowed to act as gunbearer to his brother's benefactor
on this occasion. Dick ran his eye over the man,
noted the splendid development of his thews and
sinews, marked several ugly scars on his body and
limbs bearing mute testimony to the fact that he had
already proved himself a warrior, met his unflinching
glance, proud and resolute, yet respectful, and instantly
decided that here was a man who might be absolutely
trusted. Without hesitation he placed his spare rifle
in Mafuta's hands, explaining to him, through Jantje,
exactly what he wished him to do with it; and then
issued his final instructions to the beaters, who at once
moved off to work round to the windward side of the
clump of bush in which the lions were said to be hiding,
while Grosvenor and he, followed respectively by Jantje
and Mafuta, took their leisurely way toward the points
where they intended to station themselves. For a
considerable part of the distance they walked together ;
and when at length they separated, Dick, who some-
how seemed to have assumed the direction of aff^airs
as a matter of course, with Grosvenor's tacit consent
and approval, said;

"Now, Phil, anything that may break cover to the
right of that baobab, as we stand facing it, belongs to
you, while anything that emerges to the left belongs to

94 Adventures of Dick Maitland

me, neither of us to interfere with the other's chances
unless the brutes seem likely to get away and make
good their escape. And, just one caution, old chap ;
don't fire until your quarry has passed out clear of the
line of bush, or you may quite unintentionally shoot
one of the beaters. Ah! there are the dogs giving
tongue; the beaters are putting them into the bush.
To your station, old man, and good luck to you!"

** Thanks! same to you, old chap," cheerily responded
Grosvenor, as he wheeled and strode away to the spot
fixed upon as his station.

The clump of bush in which the lions were said to
have secreted themselves was an isolated one, with
nothing in particular to distinguish it from the thou-
sands of other clumps that dotted the visible country,
except that one extremity of it abutted upon the edge
of a small shallow ravine, through which trickled a tiny
rivulet discharging itself into the larger stream which
flows through the long valley that intersected the land-
scape. Close to the spot where the clump of bush
touched the edge of the ravine the rivulet flowed into
and through a shallow basin of rock, which formed an

ideal drinking place for animals; and it was possibly
this circumstance that had caused the lions to take up
their temporary abode in that particular clump. There
was the possibility that the lions, when breaking cover,
might attempt to escape by bolting into and up the
ravine; and accordingly, when this fact had been pointed
out and explained to Dick, he had very unselfishly
placed his friend Grosvenor on that side in order that
the latter might have the benefit of the most likely
chances.

The barking and yelping of the dogs grew steadily
louder and more insistent, and to it was presently added
the shouts and shrill whistlings of the Kafirs as they
forced their way through the thick undergrowth. A

An Encounter with Lions 95

few birds flew out with startled cries, but for about a
quarter of an hour there was no further result. Then
suddenly the dogs burst into a chorus of sharp, savage
barks, entirely different in character from their former
utterances, and quite sufficient in itself to inform even
the veriest novice that game of some sort was afoot;
the Kafirs' cries of encouragement were redoubled; an
occasional rustling and crackling of branches became
audible to the intent watchers. Presently there arose
a terrific outburst of furious snarlings, growls, and
yappings, intermingled with the violent swishing and
crackling of dry leaves and twigs, evidence conclusive
that a fight was proceeding in the heart of the bush.
Then the sudden, sharp, agonized pow-wow of a dog
in pain rang out, accompanied by a horrible sound of
worrying; a still further increase of the hubbub followed,
then a heavy crashing of bushes, and out sprang a mag-
nificent tawny-maned lion into the open. He broke
into view immediately opposite to Dick, and not more
than twenty yards distant, stopping dead as he sighted
the lad standing rifle in hand, with Mafuta like a bronze
statue behind him. As the splendid beast stood at gaze,
with blazing eyes, and his tail switching in short, angry
jerks from side to side, the feeling of anxiety and ner-
vousness that had been oppressing Dick seemed to drop
from him like a garment. In an instant he became abso-
lutely cool, steady, and self-possessed, and lifting his
rifle to his shoulder with a lightning-like movement,
while the sights of the weapon seemed to line them-
selves of their own volition upon the centre of the
beast's broad forehead, right between the eyes, he
pressed the trigger. There was a flash, a sharp, whip-
like report, a faint puff of smoke, and the lion dropped
stone dead where he stood.

Meanwhile the hubbub in the bush was raging even
more fiercely than ever, showing that the beast which

96 Adventures of Dick Maitland

had just fallen to Dlck^s rifle had not been the cause of
it, and that the sport was by no means over. Dick's
weapon was a mag"azine rifle, and with a quick move-
ment he jerked another cartridge into position, just as
the uproar grew so loud and near at hand that it
became evident another break was imminent.

The next instant it occurred. A splendid Honess,
carrying a small cub in her mouth, crashed into the
open, with a dozen or more yapping and snarling curs
at her heels. She broke cover well on Grosvenor's
side of the baobab; and, like the lion, came to an
abrupt halt as soon as she saw Grosvenor, straight
toward whom she was charging. In an instant the
white man's rifle leapt to his shoulder, and the next
instant he fired. But even as he pressed the trigger,
a dog, more valiant or more foolhardy than the rest,
dashed in upon her, and with the rapidity of lightning
she turned to meet his rush, dropping her cub, and
nearly tearing the miserable cur's head from his
shoulders with a single stroke of her powerful fore
paAV. At the same instant Grosvenor's bullet, aimed
at her head, crashed into her flank, passing right
through it and utterly paralysing her hind quarters.
With a whining, snarling roar the poor beast rolled
over on her side, but instantly recovered herself so far
as to raise herself on her fore legs — between which the
cub, but a trifle bigger than a well-grown cat, took
refuge — her jaws champing and foaming, and her eyes
blazing lightnings at the dogs, which, recognizing her
helplessness, closed in round her.

''Save the cub!" shouted Dick; ** don't let the dogs
worry it; I want to keep the little beast alive." And,
leaving his position, he hurried forward, regardless of
danger, to beat off the dogs. Grosvenor and Jantje
also rushed forward at his shouts, and were quickly
joined by Mafuta, who seemed to divine what Dick

An Encounter with Lions 97

required. Dashing fearlessly in among- the snarling
and snapping dogs, the Kafir and the Hottentot at
length succeeded in beating them off, upon which Gros-
venor stepped close up to the lioness and gave her the
coup de grdce by sending a bullet through her brain.
As she rolled over dead, Mafuta sprang in and grabbed
the cub by the skin of the neck, despite the fact that
it snarled and spat like an angry cat and struck out
viciously with its claws, which were already strong
enough to inflict quite a painful scratch, and carried
it off to the wagon, tying it to a wheel by a stout
reim.

Having ensured the safety of the cub, Dick, carrying
his own and the spare rifle which he had snatched from
Mafuta, hurried back to the point which he had so
hurriedly deserted; for the commotion in the heart of
the bush clearly evidenced the fact that the remaining
members of the troop of lions still clung to cover, and
that the beaters and dogs were doing their utmost to
dislodge them. Laying the spare rifle at his feet, Dick
stood facing the great clump, with the rifle in his hand
at the ready, prepared for any emergency. The noise
and confusion, however, seemed to indicate that the
next event would occur in the area under Grosvenor's
jurisdiction, and, sure enough, about a minute later
another lion and lioness broke cover together, followed
by the remainder of the dogs. The noble beasts, both
of which were apparently young animals, and but barely
full grown, evidently intended to make for fresh cover
in the ravine, but, finding Grosvenor blocking the
way, came to a sudden halt, upon which the dogs
instantly gathered round them, yapping and snarling
furiously, while individual members made sudden feints
of dashing in, only to retreat precipitately with their
tails between their legs as the infuriated beasts turned
this way and that to meet the rush.

( C 327 ) 7

98 Adventures of Dick Maitland

The crowding", clamouring dogs, with their quick
rushes, and the incessant twists and turns of the regal
pair to meet those rushes, were anything but conducive
to good shooting, and Grosvenor, with rifle to shoulder,
held his fire, watching for a favourable opportunity.
Suddenly it came: a dog more venturesome than the
rest sprang at the lion, and was caught by him. Plant-
ing both his front paws on the body of the unhappy
cur, the lion stood for a moment glaring at his foes, and
in that moment Grosvenor pulled trigger, the bullet
striking the great beast full in his massive chest.
For perhaps a quarter of a minute the lion stood
absolutely motionless, his eyes blazing defiance; then
he suddenly collapsed, and, with a half-whine, half-
roar, slowly rolled over on his side, his great head
sank to earth, his limbs stretched themselves stiffly out,
and with a violent shudder he yielded up his life.

Grosvenor chose this moment to inject a fresh cart-
ridge into the chamber of his rifle. But something
went wrong with the weapon, and while he was still
fidgeting with it, forgetful of the fact that Jantje was
standing behind him with a second rifle, fully charged,
in his hand, the lioness, with a mighty, snarling roar
that sent the dogs scuttling in all directions, crouched
with the evident intention of springing upon the slayer
of her lord. For a moment Dick, who was interestedly
watching the scene, took no action, for, according to
the arrangement come to between them, the lioness
belonged of right to Grosvenor. Then, realizing that
his friend was in peril, he shouted excitedly:

" Shoot, Phil, shoot, or the brute will be upon
you!" at the same time lifting his own weapon to his
shoulder.

"Can't,'* returned Grosvenor, still struggling with
his rifle; "the beastly thing's "

Crack! Dick instantly pressed the trigger; and as

An Encounter with Lions 99

he did so the lioness rose into the air with a curious
writhing movement, falling* short of the spot where
Grosvenor stood by about a foot. As she fell she
rolled headlong, but instantly recovered herself, stand-
ing upon three legs, with the fourth broken close to the
shoulder, while Grosvenor, stepping back hurriedly in
the long grass to avoid her, was tripped up and fell
flat upon his back. Fearing that, despite her broken
leg, the lioness might spring upon his prostrate friend
and badly maul him, Dick impetuously sprang forward,
injecting a new cartridge as he ran, but stopped short,
convulsed with laughter, at the sight of his friend, his
long legs flourishing in the air, rolling with frantic
energy out of the reach of the lioness. Then, as Gros-
venor finally scrambled to his feet, minus his rifle,
which he had dropped during his hurried retreat — while
Jantje had incontinently bolted, carrying Grosvenor*s
second rifle with him, as the lioness sprang — Dick
again levelled his piece and bowled the great tawny
brute over with a bullet behind the ear, which pene-
trated the brain.

Thus satisfactorily terminated the adventurers' first
experience with big game, each of the sportsmen
bagging a lion and lioness, while the cub might be
regarded as the joint property of the two. A very
satisfactory feature of the day's sport was that nobody
had received so much as a scratch, the actual casualties
amounting to two Kafir dogs slain. As for the Kafirs,
they fell upon the carcasses and with incredible rapidity
and skill stripped off the hides and pegged them out
preparatory to treating them in the native fashion,
afterwards removing the heads and carefully depositing
each in the near vicinity of an ants* nest, in order that
the insects might remove — as they very speedily would
— every atom of flesh from the bones. Then, having
rendered this service to the champions who had de-

loo Adventures of Dick Maitland

livered them from their formidable enemies, they de-
parted, dancing', to the villag^e, singing a triumphant
song to the glory of the white men, in which each
incident of the recent hunt was graphically described
with appropriate gesture.

CHAPTER VII

The Makolo Country

A FULL week was spent by the travellers among' those
friendly villagers, during which Dick Maitland assidu-
ously tended the wounded man, who by the end of that
time, thanks in part to his own healthy flesh and blood,
the result of simple, frugal living, and, more largely, to
the young doctor*s skilful treatment, had advanced so
far toward recovery that nature might safely be left to
complete the cure. The week had been not altogether
unprofitably spent in other respects, the two white men
assiduously devoting themselves, with Mafuta's assist-
ance, to the study of the native language, varied occa-
sionally, on Dick's part, by a little botanizing — during
which he discovered some half a dozen plants that
seemed to possess valuable properties — and the taming
of the lion cub, which, after the first two or three days
of captivity, responded with ever-growing alacrity to
his young master's advances, until by the end of six
weeks he had learned to answer to the name of Leo, to
come at Dick's call or whistle, and, in short, had be-
come as tame as a dog. This result, and the gentle-
ness of disposition which Leo manifested, Dick attri-
buted largely to the fact that the animal was never
allowed to taste blood, or raw flesh of any kind, his
food— after a milk diet for the first three weeks of
his captivity — consisting entirely of well-roasted flesh.
The natives witnessed the preparations for the de-

101

X02 Adventures of Dick Maitland

parture of their white friends with every manifestation
of sincere regret, assisting to drive up and inspan the
oxen, presenting a fine milch cow for Leo's especial
benefit, as well as quantities of mealies, bananas, and
other garden produce, warning the travellers of various
difficulties and dangers that lurked on the next hundred
miles or so of their route, and carefully instructing them
how they might best be avoided, and in many other
ways making plain the sorrow with which they bade
them farewell. Finally, when the oxen were inspanned
and the wagon was on the very point of moving off,
Mafuta, who had hitherto been missing, presented
himself in full marching order, armed with shield,
assagais, and knobkerrie, with plumed headdress, and
cows' tails bound about his legs below the knees, and
curtly informed Dick that it was his fixed intention to
join the party! Although both Dick and Grosvenor
did their utmost to dissuade him, by representing to
him the great length and exceeding danger of the
journey upon which they were bound, and the possi-
bility that they might never return, it was all of no
avail, he alternately insisted and entreated, declaring
that he wanted no wages or reward of any kind. Dick
had pulled his brother back out of the grave, and he
felt it to be his duty, as well as his pleasure, to devote
himself henceforward to the service of the white man
who had done this wonderful thing; and finally, when
Dick, loath to take the man away from his kith and kin,
definitely refused to take him, the Kafir countered by
saying, in effect: "Very well; the veldt is free to all,
and if you will not permit me to join your party, I can
at least follow you at a distance, and be at hand when-
ever you require my services." After which, of course,
there was no more to be said, and Mafuta was allowed
to have his own way, to the great joy of his brethren of
the village.

The Makolo Country 103

Nor was it very long before the travellers had abundant
reason to congratulate themselves upon their decision
in this respect, for Mafuta not only proved to be a most
intelligent and devoted servant, but also a splendid
guide, knowing the exact localities of the various
streams and waterholes on their route, as far as the
Zambezi, also the most favourable crossing places,
where the best grass and the most game were to be
found, and, most important of all, perhaps, the exact
boundaries of the fly country. Indeed but for this last
knowledge it is almost certain that in their anxiety to
take the shortest possible cuts they would probably
have lost practically all their cattle, and thus have been
obliged to bring their adventure to a premature end.

On their ninth day out from Mafuta*s village they
struck the Hanyani River, without meeting with any
adventure worthy of record, and following its right
bank for a couple of days, bore away in an easterly
direction, skirting the northern slope of Mount Inyota,
where they struck another small stream flowing to the
northward and eastward; and as this was, broadly
speaking, the direction in which they wished to travel,
and as Mafuta assured them that it discharged into the
Zambezi, they decided to follow it, and did so, finding
eventually that it united its flow with another stream,
which they followed, still without any particular adven-
ture save such as daily occurred while hunting ; and
three weeks from the day on which Mafuta joined them
the travellers found themselves gazing with delight
upon the broad bosom of the Zambezi, its waters
sparkling in the golden light of the westering sun.

Here again Mafuta's knowledge proved to be of the
utmost value, for he was able to guide the party to
a spot where the river was fordable, and where they
succeeded in effecting a crossing that same evening
before sunset. Once safely arrived on the left bank

I04 Adventures of Dick Maitland

of the river, Grosvenor and Dick decided to camp
for a few days, in order to give the oxen a rest, the
grass being good. Also there was a small native
village a few miles higher upstream, where canoes
and their crews might be hired, and within easy paddl-
ing distance of which there was a spot where hippopo-
tami still abounded, affording a prospect of good sport,
of which Grosvenor was particularly anxious to avail
himself. Accordingly, while the Hottentot Jantje, and
*Nkuku, the Kafir voorlouper, remained in charge of
the wagon and oxen, Ramoo Samee, the groom, ac-
companied his masters to the native village, to look
after the horses and attend to the cooking while his
employers shot hippopotami and crocodiles from the
two canoes which they chartered ; Mafuta, meanwhile,
taking four days* rations, and going off upon a pro-
specting expedition in search of elephant and buffalo.
Three days at this village sufficed to provide the
hunters with more trophies than they cared to encumber
themselves with, while the natives enjoyed a record
feast of hippopotamus flesh ; and on the fourth morning
Dick and Grosvenor returned on horseback to the
wagon, while Ramoo Samee, in charge of the spoils,
was conveyed down the river. to the same spot in a
canoe manned by the grateful natives. They found
the cattle all right, and visibly improved by their three
days* rest, while Leo, the Hon cub, welcomed Dick's
return with almost embarrassing demonstrations of
affection. Late that same evening Mafuta also re-
turned, with the intelligence that although he had not
actually seen either elephants or buffaloes, he had
obtained, from natives whom he had encountered, in-
telligence of a large herd of the former at a distance of
four days* trek from the river. He also reported the
natives to be quite friendly disposed and willing to
allow the white men to traverse their particular section

The Makolo Country 105

of country. Everything thus appearing favourable, on
the following morning the oxen were once more in-
spanned, and the journey resumed.

Then ensued a long trek extending over a period of
more than two months, including a day's halt here and
there to rest the oxen, or to indulge in a little hunting,
during which they enjoyed excellent sport among ele-
phants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, giraffe, veldebeeste,
zebra, ostriches, and the various species of buck to be
found in the southern portion of the great African Con-
tinent; so rapidly, indeed, did their spoils accumulate
that at length they could no longer find room for them
in the wagon, and were glad to avail themselves of the
opportunity afforded by their arrival at a particularly
friendly village to leave everything of the kind, including
some eighteen hundred pounds of ivory, in charge of
the villagers.

Of the last three weeks of this long trek, nine days
were consumed in forced marches through sterile coun-
try, bordering a wide and — according to Mafuta — utterly
impassable desert, during which both water and grass
were so exceedingly scarce that the entire party suffered
terrible privation, no game of any kind being seen,
where more than half the oxen died, while the remainder
were reduced to such a miserable condition that they
were scarcely able to drag the now more than half-
empty wagon. Presently the character of the country
gradually changed, a waterhole or two were found,
with small patches of fairly nutritious grass growing
round them, and as soon as a favourable spot was
reached the wagon was outspanned and the oxen
allowed a couple of days' holiday in which to rest and
recuperate. Then Grosvenor and Dick, mounting their
horses, which had been spared as much as possible
during the preceding ten days, set off with their rifles
in search of game, and eventually succeeded in finding

io6 Adventures of Dick Maitland

and shooting a pair of bush buck wherewith to replenish
their larder.

At the end of the second day's rest Mafuta — who had
by this time completely won the confidence of the two
leaders of the expedition, and had attained rather to
the position of a humble comrade than a mere follower
— gave it as his opinion that the oxen had now suffi-
ciently recovered to justify the party in resuming their
journey; and accordingly on the following morning the
animals were once more inspanned. Dick and Gros-
venor had already seen enough of the surrounding
country during their two days* foraging expedition to
have come to the conclusion that conditions would now
improve with every mile of progress, and this conclusion
was fully borne out by their first day's experiences, the
country gradually becoming more hilly and broken,
with small watercourses occurring at steadily decreasing
intervals, with more and richer grass at every mile of
their progress, until by the end of the day they once
more found themselves in a district that might fairly be
termed fertile, while a few head of game — bucks and a
brace of paow (a kind of bustard) — had been seen. All
this was exceedingly encouraging to the two explorers,
for their experiences thus far — with one very important
exception — had been in strict accordance with Menzies'
story, as repeated to them by their friend Mitchell, and
confirmed them in the conviction that at length they
had arrived within measurable distance of the spot
where, according to the account given by the former,
the ruins of ancient Ophir still existed in recognizable
form. The exception referred to consisted in the fact
that whereas, according to Menzies, the Makolo nation,
upon whose territory they had now entered, were ex-
ceedingly jealous of all intrusion — Menzies himself
having escaped a frightful death at their hands by the
very skin of his teeth — they had thus far met with no

The Makolo Country 107

molestation whatever; which, however, might possibly
be accounted for by the fact that thus far they had seen
no natives.

But this state of affairs was not to last much longer;
for on the third day of their resumed trek, by which
time they had reached a somewhat rugged, well-wooded
stretch of country, watered by numerous streams, upon
surmounting a ridge they sighted a native village,
some three miles ahead, surrounded by well-cultivated
fields which, upon their nearer approach, the travellers
found to consist chiefly of maize and tobacco, with here
and there a patch of sugar cane, or a small fruit
orchard. Soon afterwards they encountered a large
herd of cattle in charge of about a dozen native
lads, one of whom, upon sighting the strangers, took
to his heels and ran, as though for his life, to an
eminence at no great distance, where, placing his hands
funnelwise to his mouth, he began to shout, in a
peculiar, high-pitched tone of voice, a brief communica-
tion of some sort to some unseen person or persons.
At the same time one of the other lads, after intently
scrutinizing the newcomers for several minutes, ad-
vanced cautiously toward them and finally halted —
evidently holding himself ready to bolt at the slightest
suspicious sign — and, raising his sheaf of assagais in
his right hand by way of salute, shouted the single
word:

'' Bietur

The word was evidently a variant of the Zulu Biete,
the form of salutation addressed to a great chief, and,
so construing it, Mafuta at once placed his shield and
weapons in the wagon and, advancing rapidly, pro-
ceeded to address the lad in good Zulu. The stranger,
however, although it was evident that he caught the
meaning of a word here and there, seemed unable to
grasp the sense of Mafuta's communication in its

io8 Adventures of Dick Maitland

entirety, whereupon the latter made a second attempt,
this time using a sort of dialect or corruption of the
true Zulu tong^ue; and was now more successful,
quite a long^ interchange of conversation ensuing, at
the termination of which the stranger turned and ran
to the before-mentioned eminence, from the summit
of which he shouted, in the same high-pitched voice
as his predecessor, a communication of very consider-
able length, while Mafuta returned to the wagon.

* * Well, Mafuta, what is the news ? '* demanded
Dick, as the Kaffir approached.

**The news, Chief, is good," answered Mafuta,
saluting. *' We have arrived within the borders of
the Makolo country; and the word of the ^mfana who
spoke with me is that it will be wise of my fathers
to outspan at the first suitable halting place until the
will of the king regarding them be made known.
The Makolo do not approve of strangers entering
their country, it would appear; but their objection no
longer applies to white men, to whom the Spirits of
the Winds have commanded that all kindness be
shown, should such ever visit the Makolo country.
News of our arrival has already been sent forward to
Lobelalatutu, the king; and his will concerning us
will be made known as soon as it comes; but, mean-
while, Matemba, the ^mfana who spoke with me, advises
that we outspan until that will be made known."

**Um!" remarked Dick; **that does not sound al-
together promising, eh, Phil? Seems to indicate that
there may possibly be difficulties put in the way of
our penetrating the country, doesn't it? What did you
say to the ^mfana^ Mafuta?"

**I said," answered Mafuta, **that the two white
men, my chiefs, had come from afar across the Great
Water to visit Lobelalatutu, the King of the great
Makolo nation, to offer presents, and to request his

The Makolo Country 109

permission to examine the ruins of the great city of
which they had heard."

**Yes, of course; I suppose that was the correct
diplomatic way in which to put the matter," remarked
Dick. "And what said Matemba in reply?"

** He said," answered Mafuta, **that doubtless the
king, remembering the commands laid upon him by
the Spirits of the Winds, upon the occasion of their
last visit to the country in their great glittering ship
which flies through the air, would gladly permit my
chiefs to visit the ruins, even as the Spirits themselves
had done."

** Ah!" exclaimed Dick; '*that sounds better. But"
— turning to Grosvenor — *M wonder what the fellow
means by the * glittering ship which flies through the
air' — and the * Spirits of the Winds'? Can it be
possible that an airship has ever penetrated so far
as this? Stop a minute — let me think. 'Spirits of
the Winds — glittering ship which flies * — by Jove ! can
it be possible? I thought, when I heard the expression
* Spirits of the Winds ' that it sounded not altogether
unfamiliar, that I had met with it before, in fact;
and now that I come to overhaul my memory I very
distinctly remember reading a yarn describing the ad-
ventures of some people who possessed a wonderful
airship in which they made the most extraordinary
voyages and met with some astounding experiences

)»

**Yes," interrupted Grosvenor; **I know the book
you mean. I, too, read it. But I took it to be fiction,
pure and simple ; a somewhat daring flight of a
novelist's imagination. And now that you have re-
minded me of the yarn I distinctly remember that the
four fellows in the story were described as having
visited these same ruins of Ophir that we are hunting
for "

no Adventures of Dick Maitland

**Yes," cut in Dick," that is so. And, if I re-
member aright, they met with some rather exciting
adventures among these Makolo, didn't they?"

** Rather! " assented Grosvenor. ** Were taken
prisoners, or something of that sort, and only escaped
by the skin of their teeth."

"That's it," agreed Dick. "Yes; the man who
was then king wanted to steal their airship, didn't
he?"

** He did — and got banished for his pains,'* answered
Grosvenor. "But that was not the end of the story.
He — the king, I mean — returned from his banishment,
killed the king who was reigning in his stead, and —
yes, was found practising his old dodges of cruelty
and murder when the * Spirits ' paid a second visit to
his country."

"Precisely," agreed Dick. "But that part of the
story was given in a second book recounting the further
voyagings of the wonderful Flying Fish — that was the
name of the airship, you will remember. By Jove!
How vividly those yarns recur to one's memory when
anything special — like this adventure of ours — occurs
to recall them. Do you know, Phil, it now seems
to me that, quite unconsciously to ourselves, those
two books have had a distinct influence upon us in
undertaking and carrying through this journey?"

"Possibly," agreed Grosvenor; "though I am
obliged to admit that I have been, and am still, quite
unconscious of it. The point that is of real importance
to us is this. Had the narratives in those two books
the slightest foundation of fact? Because, if so, our
recollection of them might stand us in good stead
should difficulties arise between us and these people.
Take, for example, the matter of the four Spirits of
the Winds. If we were to judiciously exhibit some
knowledge of them and their doings, this king might

The Makolo Country m

be inclined to be a great deal more complaisant than
he otherwise would be. Don't you think so?"

** Perhaps," conceded Difck; ** it is impossible to say.
But what knowledge do we possess, or can we exhibit?
Absolutely none, except what we can remember through
the perusal of those two books. And, for my own part,

I am inclined to believe that the alleged adventures of
the four persons therein referred to were purely ficti-
tious, or at least had no more than the slenderest
connection with actual fact."

**Yet," contended Grosvenor, '* it is remarkable, to
say the least of it, that in our very first communica-
tion with these Makolo — which, now I come to think of
it, was the actual name of the nation given in those
books — the four Spirits of the Winds should be men-
tioned. Isn't it?"

**Yes, it certainly is," agreed Dick, somewhat reluc-
tantly. "And of course," he continued, '*if it should
happen that those two yarns are a record of actual
occurrences presented in the guise of fiction, it will
not be by any means the first time that such a thing
has occurred. Anyhow," he concluded, ** I do not see
that we can possibly do any harm by acting, as you
suggest, upon the assumption that the yarns, however
extravagant they may have appeared to us when we
read them, are records of actual fact, and using our
recollection of them in any manner that may seem
advantageous to us. Is that agreed?"

**Yes, certainly," assented Grosvenor. "We can
but try it, and see how it works. And now, to change

the subject, what say you about outspanning? This
seems to be a good spot, eh?"

During the foregoing conversation the two speakers
had been walking on ahead of the wagon, with their
rifles in the hollow of their arms, the dogs and Leo,
the lion cub, trotting amicably at their heels. They

112 Adventures of Dick Maitland

had arrived at a spot about a mile from the village,
and were now traversing an open **flat" with plenty
of grass, close to the margin of a small stream. As
Grosvenor had suggested, it was an excellent spot
upon which to outspan, for there were grass and water
for the cattle, and it was sufficiently far away from the
village to prevent any of those annoyances that a
nearer approach might have subjected them to; they
therefore halted, and when the wagon came up the
order to outspan was given. A few minutes later,
while Jantje and *Nkuku were superintending the water-
ing of the oxen, some half-dozen women, carrying
baskets poised upon their heads, were seen approaching
from the village. When, somewhat later, these women
arrived at the wagon, the leader of them announced that
the contents of the baskets, consisting of green mealie
cobs, sugar cane, eggs, sweet potatoes, half a dozen
shockingly skinny chickens, milk, and joala (a kind of
native beer) were a present from the headman of the
village to the strangers, (Six months earlier the tra-
vellers would have laughed incredulously at the idea
of liquids being conveyed in baskets; but now they
took it quite as a matter of course, for they had by
this time grown quite familiar with the native basket,
so exquisitely woven out of grass as to be quite im-
pervious to leakage). They accepted the gift with a
few words — but not too many — of thanks, and then,
desirous of creating a good impression upon the Makolo
as early as might be, they directed the women to wait,
and, going to the wagon, took from their store of
** notions" a few yards of gaudily printed cotton stuff,
two or three yards of brass wire, half a dozen empty
two-ounce tobacco tins decorated with gilt and coloured
lettering, in the style familiar to all devotees of the weed,
a small wooden box containing about a pint of mixed
beads, and to each of the smiling and expectant basket-

The Makolo Country 113

bearers a special present for herself, consisting of a
necklet of large particoloured beads, the remaining
gifts being of course for the headman in return for
his present. The necklets Dick and Grosvenor per-
sonally clasped round the shapely, bronze-tinted throats
of the recipients, to the intense delight of the latter,
and then the damsels took their departure, smiling to
such an extent as to display every tooth in their heads.
Presently, when they were a few yards from the wagon,
they burst into song, the burden of their lay being the
magnificent generosity, enormous wealth, and splendid
personality of the visitors.

About an hour before sunset that same day another
party made its appearance, approaching from the vil-
lage. On this occasion it consisted of men only, some
twenty in number, which, upon their arrival at the
wagon, proved to be the headman of the village and
his retinue, all unarmed.

The party halted at a distance of some ten paces
from the spot where Dick and Grosvenor sat before
their open tent, and as they did so, with the precision
of trained soldiers, every man's right hand was flung
aloft, and in deep, sonorous tones the salute was
given :

''Btetur

Then the headman stepped forward and said, Mafuta
standing by to act as interpreter ;

" I, Insimbi, headman of the village of M*gama, in
the country of the Makolo, bear the greetings of the
great King Lobelalatutu to the unknown white men
who have crossed the Great Water to visit him, to
offer him gifts, and to request his permission to visit
the ruins of the great city that are situate near the
king's village. He bids you welcome to the country
of the Makolo, and his word is that you are to be
conducted forthwith in all honour to his presence. You

( C 327 ) 8

114 Adventures of Dick Maitland

are his guests, to be treated by all men as such, and
by them to be supplied with all things necessary to
your comfort and wellbeing. Your oxen are poor in
condition and few in number, therefore shall they be
cared for here until they are again fit for work ;
meanwhile a fresh team shall be supplied from the
herd belonging to this village for the conveyance of
your wagon to the ruins you desire to visit. And if
there be any other thing that you desire, my orders
are to furnish it to you. I have said. Is it well,
O white men?"

" It is very well, O Insimbi," answered Grosvenor.
"It is well for the Makolo and for your king that he
keeps fresh in his memory the commands laid upon
him by the four Spirits of the Winds, and we are
satisfied. When can we be supplied with the fresh
team of oxen?"

'*At sunrise to-morrow shall the herd be driven
hither, when my lords shall choose for themselves as
many as they will," answered the headman.

"Let it be so," answered Grosvenor; **for to-morrow
at sunrise will we resume our journey to the king's
village and the ruins. By the way, ask him, Mafuta,
how far the ruins are from here."

"With a full team of fourteen fresh oxen it may be
done in seven days," Mafuta translated Insimbi's answer
to the question.

" Seven days !" ejaculated Grosvenor, glancing in
astonishment at Dick. "Then how the dickens has
this fellow Insimbi contrived in the course of a single
day to communicate with the king and get a reply
from him?"

"Why, easily enough," answered Dick. "Don't you
remember the wonderful system of voice telegraphy
mentioned in those two books that we were discussing
to-day? That, of course, is how it has been accom-

The Makolo Country 115

plished. And, now that I come to think of it, we had
an illustration of that system this morning when those
two boys ran to the top of yonder hill and started
shouting in that queer, high-pitched tone of voice.
They were telegraphing to the king the news of our
arrival without a doubt."

"Yes," assented Grosvenor, a little doubtfully, "I
suppose that was it. But seven days* trek with fresh
oxen ! That means a hundred and forty miles, or there-
about — it is wonderful ! "

"You are right; it is," agreed Dick; "but not more
wonderful, to my mind, than that we, destined, as one
may say, to make this trip together, should have both
been fortunate enough to stumble across and read those
two books, which I am now beginning to understand
were records of sober fact instead of extravagant fiction,
as we both thought them to be. We must certainly
polish up our recollection of what we read, for it is not
at all difficult to imagine circumstances in which the
knowledge may be of vital import to us. By the way,
Mafuta, tell those fellows that they are dismissed, and
that all we shall require of them to-morrow, in addition
to the oxen, will be a guide."

Oxen and guide were both duly forthcoming on the
morrow: the journey toward what may be called the
capital was resumed, and continued day after day with-
out adventure, the guide supplied on the first day con-
tinuing with the party for the whole of that day, and
then turning them over to another, who in like manner
piloted them a day's trek, in turn to pass them on to
another, and so on, day after day; each guide returning
to his starting-point on the following day.

CHAPTER VIII

King Lobelalatutu

The one thing that, after the spreading, well-tilled fields
surrounding every village, the great herds of cattle,
and the general aspect of prosperty everywhere met
with, most impressed the two travellers during their
progress through the Makolo country, was the extra-
ordinary courtesy and deference uniformly extended to
them by the natives. These people were savages, pure
and unadulterated, a fierce and warlike race, who had
been obliged to fight for their very existence throughout
countless ages, ignorant and superstitious to a degree,
with all the virtues and most of the vices of the primeval
savage, unspeakably cruel and relentless as enemies,
absolutely fearless in battle, and, above all, intensely
suspicious of strangers; yet, although white men were
practically unknown to them as a people, they never
annoyed the travellers by any display of undue cu Josity,
every man deferentially saluted them, and all were
willing, even eager, to do them service.

The character of the country, although it could not
by any stretch of the imagination be described as
mountainous, maintained its rugged character almost
to the end of the journey, consisting of a constant
succession of low hills, or ridges, mostly of granite
formation, divided from each other by broad, fertile,
well-watered valleys, dotted here and there with vil-
lages which, as the travellers advanced, gradually drew
closer together and increased in importance.

116

King Lobelalatutu 117

It was as the travellers surmounted a certain ridge,
about an hour and a half before the time of their mid-
day halt, that they caught their first glimpse of the sea
since losing sight of it on their departure from Louren<jo
Marques. It stretched away to right and left and in front
of them, a narrow, faint, grey streak, softly shimmering
under the beams of the noontide sun; and between it
and the observers lay a wide-stretching, level, grassy
plain, in the midst of which appeared numberless
irregularities that, viewed through their powerful
glasses, assumed the aspect of architectural ruins of
enormous massiveness and strength. But they were
some ten miles distant, and through the highly rarefied
atmosphere that intervened it was impossible to obtain
any very clear conception of their character, except that
they were undoubtedly of human origin and of quite
unexpected extent. One thing, however, was certain,
in the light of Menzles' story, as recounted to them by
his and their friend Mitchell, those enormous ruins could
be none other than the remains of the ancient Ophir
mentioned in Holy Writ; and the two friends sent
up a shout of irrepressible exultation at the thought
that they had advanced thus far upon their difficult
journey without mishap of any kind. They were now
all eagerness and impatience to reach those wonderful
ruins; but the oxen were tired and hungry, having
already been trekking for more than two hours ; more-
over, they took no interest in archteology, and preferred
an acre of rich grass to the finest ruins in the world,
therefore it became imperative to outspan as soon as
the wagon had plunged down into the plain far enough
to reach the first watercourse. But Grosvenor and
Maitland were not long in arriving at the decision to
saddle up and ride forward as soon as they had par-
taken of a hasty tiffin.

This resolution they duly carried into effect, observing

ii8 Adventures of Dick Maitland

the precaution to slip their loaded revolvers into their
belts and to sling their loaded rifles and fully charged
bandoliers over their shoulders, to guard against the
possibility of accident, although they had thus far seen
nothing to justify the slightest suspicion that either the
king or his people meditated treachery. As they rode
they had ample opportunity to observe — as indeed had
been the case ever since they entered the Makolo country
— the operation of the curious voice-telegraph system
practised by the natives in their communications with
each other, the high-pitched messages — doubtless re-
porting their progress-breaching their ears at frequent
intervals.

They advanced at an easy canter, heading straight
for the ruins, for there was no semblance of a road,
or even of a footpath, and scarcely any people were to
be seen, except in and about the villages which they
occasionally passed. But when they had arrived within
about three miles of the ruins they observed, approach-
ing them round the spur of a low hill, a troop of about
fifty horsemen, which their field glasses enabled them
to perceive were splendidly mounted, and garbed in
the full panoply of war, consisting of shield, war axe,
sheaf of broad-bladed spears, plumed headdress, and —
in the case of the leader — leopard-skin mantle, and
necklace of leopards* claws. It was a distinctly for-
midable cavalcade for two men only to meet, even
although the latter were armed with weapons of such
deadly precision as the rifle and revolver; and for a
minute or two the travellers were just a little uncertain
as to how to meet the situation. Finally they reined
in and came to a halt, whereupon the leader of the
troop threw up his right hand, as though giving an
order, upon which his followers, who had been ad-
vancing at a gallop, reined their horses back upon
their haunches, coming to an abrupt halt, while he,

King Lobelalatutu 119

reducing his pace to a hand -gallop, continued his
advance alone.

"All right, old chap, come along," exclaimed Gros-
venor; "those fellows mean us no harm, I am sure.
I expect it is a detachment sent out by the king to
bid us welcome on our approach to his village."

" Very possibly," assented Dick. ** But, having
halted, we must now remain where we are until that
fellow approaches and delivers his message. To resume
our journey at this moment would be tantamount to
an admission of distrust on our part, which would never
do. No, no; let the man come to us, not we go to
him. Among savages, you know, first impressions
count for a good deal, and it would never do to let
those fellow think that we halted because we were

nervous."

**No, of course; you are quite right, it would not,
agreed Grosvenor; and sitting straight up in their
saddles, and assuming an air of absolute confidence
which somewhat belied their inward feelings, they
patiently awaited the arrival of the solitary horse-
man.

In less than a minute he had arrived — a fine, stal-
wart man, of about middle age, clean-limbed, broad
chested, upright as a dart, of dauntless aspect; his
limbs and body showing many scars of battle. As he
reached a point some ten feet from where the two
white travellers awaited him he abruptly reined his
horse to a standstill, and threw up his right hand in
salute.

"W^^^z'," he cried, in a full, deep, resonant tone of
voice, "Lobelalatutu, the King of the Makolo, salutes
you by the mouth of me, 'Mpandula, and bids you
welcome to his royal village. Behold a squadron of
his royal guard, which he has dispatched, under my
command, to conduct you in all honour to his presence.

I20 Adventures of Dick Maitland

He awaits you now In his palace. Does it please my
lords that the squadron, approach to give them the
salute?"

Now, this speech was only very imperfectly under-
stood by those to whom it was addressed ; a word or
two here and there they comprehended because of their
similarity to those in the language spoken by Mafuta;
the name of the king also they recognized ; and *Mpan-
dula's gestures and the tones of his voice also told them
a little. Thus in one way and another they contrived
to gain a sort of hazy general notion of the gist of the
chiefs speech. But how were they to reply to it, and
what were they to say? So early a summons to the
king's presence was rather unexpected, and, in the
absence of Mafuta, who was behind, with the wagon,
would be rather embarrassing; for how were they to
converse with the king without the assistance of an
interpreter? There was but one thing to be done,
and that was to reply to the best of their ability,
which Dick undertook to do in the only native tongue
with which he was familiar, explaining as well as he
could the difficulty in which the pair found themselves.

It was evident at once, by the puzzled expression on
the chiefs face, that he understood Dick as little as
Dick understood him; and for a moment there seemed
to be the possibility of a deadlock. But suddenly
'Mpandula's brow cleared, he turned on his horse and
shouted a name, in response to which one of the
guards drove his heels into his horse's flanks, and
dashed forward to his chiefs assistance. The latter
appeared to explain the position in a few terse words,
and when he had finished, the newcomer, at *Mpan-
dula*s dictation, repeated the message of the king,
word for wood, in the language with which Dick was
familiar.

** What do you say, Phil," questioned Dick, when

King Lobelalatutu 121

the message was concluded; ** shall we go? Or shall
we excuse ourselves for the present, upon the plea
that we would prefer to wait until the wagon conies
up, in order that we may take with us the gitts that
we have brought for His Majesty? I am not quite
sure that I altogether like this escort business. It
may be all right, of course. The king's message
sounds all right; but if the chap means treachery it
will be exceedingly awkward for us, will it not?

**It certainly will," agreed Grosvenor. "But," he
continued, ** I fancy it is altogether too late to think of
that now. When we determined to enter this country
we tacitly decided to take all the risks of so doing;
and in any case we cannot now escape, do what we
will, therefore I think our best policy will be to take
everything for granted, and go willingly with these
fellows, since if we refused they have the power to
compel us. What has so suddenly put the idea of
treachery into your head?"

** Upon my word I don't know," answered Dick.
** Unless it is the sight of these armed men. But, as
you say, it is too late to hesitate now, and, after all,
their presence may merely signify the desire of the
king to do us honour. Yes, I suppose we had better
go." And, turning to 'Mpandula, he said:

**We are ready to go with you into the presence
of the king, therefore let the squadron approach. But
our followers are behind, with the wagon, and it is
desirable that they should know what has become of
us; therefore I pray you let a message be transmitted
to them, informing them of our whereabouts, and
also directing them where to outspan at their final
halt."

**The will of my lords shall be done," answered the
chief, through the interpreter. And, raising his right
hand, he shouted an order, whereupon the squadron

122 Adventures of Dick Maitland

of native cavalry, which had remained motionless as
so many statues, at once awakened into life, and,
starting forward at a gallop, advanced in as close
formation and as perfect line as the finest civilized
trqops, halting a horse's length in rear of their com-
mander. Then, at a signal from the chief, every man
tossed his right hand aloft in salute and thundered out
the word 'Nkosil This salute Dick and Grosvenor
acknowledged by placing their hands to their hat-
brims, in military fashion, to the evident satisfaction
of 'Mpandula and his followers; and then, as the
two whites touched their horse's flanks with the spur
and moved forward at a canter, the escort formed up,
completely encircling them; one man at the same
moment detaching himself and galloping away in the
direction of the wagon, in response to an order from
his commander.

Some twenty minutes later the party reached the out-
skirts of the ruined city, and found themselves con-
fronted by enormous masses of masonry, consisting
of walls, some of which still remained erect, although
for the most part they had sunk into shapeless, over-
grown masses of ruin, arches, columns, erect and
prostrate, fragmentary pediments, shattered entabla-
tures, dislodged capitals, crumbling pedestals, and
mutilated statues of men and animals, all of colossal
proportions ; the buildings and portions of buildings
all being of an immensely massive yet ornate and
imposing style of architecture quite unknown to the
travellers. Even the cursory glimpses which were all
that Dick and Grosvenor were for the moment able
to obtain, convinced them both that they were face to
face with the remains of a city that must, thousands
of years ago, have been of enormous extent and of
almost unimaginable opulence and splendour.

But they had little time, just then, in which to in-

King Lobelalatutu 123

dulge their curiosity, for they almost immediately
struck into a sort of bridle path that presently turned
away from the ruins and led toward an extensive
village, which now swept into view as they rounded
the spur of a hill. The village consisted of some five
hundred huts surrounding a central stockade, which
enclosed a small group of buildings of considerably
more pretentious character than the ordinary huts,
and which Dick and Grosvenor at once conjectured
must be the royal palace and its dependencies. This
conjecture was confirmed upon their arrival at the
village, for at the gateway of the stockade the caval-
cade halted, and 'Mpandula, dismounting, requested
his charges to do the same, intimating that he was
about to conduct them forthwith into the presence of
the king.

Of course there was nothing to be done but to obey
with a good grace, and the travellers, therefore, swung
out of their saddles, and, handing over their horses to
a couple of natives who stepped forward to take charge
of them, followed their guide, or custodian, whichever
he might happen to be, through the gateway, not with-
out certain qualms of apprehension as to the wisdom
of placing themselves thus unreservedly in the power of
a savage king, who, if he should so choose, could send
them to a death of unspeakable torment and horror,
without the slightest fear of ever being brought to book.
But now, more than ever, was it too late to hesitate;
therefore resolutely stifling their apprehensions, and
assuming a bearing of the most perfect confidence, they
advanced toward a group of several persons whom they
now saw arranged in front of the principal building
within the enclosure.

Unquestionably the most important personage in this
group was a splendid figure of a savage, attired in a
sort of petticoat of leopard skin reaching to just above

124 Adventures of Dick Maitland

the knee, a mantle of lion-skin thrown over his shoulders,
gold bangles on his arms and ankles, a beautifully worked
coronet of gold adorned with crimson feathers of the
flamingo, two necklaces — one composed of lions' teeth
and claws, and the other, and larger, of unpolished
stones that seemed to emit a faint glint of ruddy fire —
round his neck. He was armed with a sheaf of short,
broad-bladed stabbing spears, and was seated on a sort
of throne entirely covered with an immense kaross of
lions' skin. Behind him stood eight savages, as finely
built men as himself, whose dress and adornments at
once proclaimed them to be chiefs, and persons of very
great importance in the Makolo nation. The individual
upon the throne was of course none other than the king
himself.

Boldly advancing to within about ten paces of the
seated monarch, Grosvenor and Dick halted, and,

according to pre -arrangement, gave His Majesty a
military salute. Then Dick, addressing the king in
his best Kafir, remarked:

** Hail! Lobelalatutu, King of the Makolo, we salute
you." Which the interpreter, who had followed them,
promptly interpreted.

*' I see you, white men," answered the king, slightly
raising his right hand in acknowledgement of the salute.
" You are welcome to the country of the Makolo. When
I was informed of your approach I gave certain orders
to my people concerning your comfort and welfare. I
trust that those orders have been obeyed to your satis-
faction,"

*'Your words, O King! have been most implicitly
obeyed, and we thank you for them, as also for the
welcome that you have extended to us," returned Dick.
**The four Spirits of the Winds will be pleased to
learn, when we return, that you have not forgotten
the injunctions that they laid upon you."

King Lobelalatutu 125

"The four Spirits of the Winds !"^ ejaculated the
king, in great surprise, not wholly untinged with tre-
pidation — which emotions were even more strongly-
displayed by the chiefs who stood about him, ** Know
ye then those terrible beings?"

** Even so,*' answered Dick composedly. ** We
know that they twice visited the Makolo country;
and we also know"— he added with emphasis — **what
happened upon each of those occasions. We know
what happened to M^Bongwele, the former king of
the Makolo; and we know why Lobelalatutu was
chosen king in his place."

** Wau!^'' murmured the assembled chiefs behind
their hands, in awestricken tones; "it is wonderful!"
while Lobelalatutu shifted uneasily in his seat as he
gazed apprehensively in the faces of his two visitors.
For nearly a minute he remained silent, apparently
debating within himself some very puzzling question.
Then he said:

** I would that I knew, O white men, all the reasons
that have led you to visit the Makolo country. They
must be many and great to have induced you to cross
the Great Water, and to take so long, so wearisome,
and so dangerous a journey afterwards."

"Listen then, O King Lobelalatutu, and you shall
be told," answered Dick. "My friend here is a great
hunter; he loves the excitement of the chase, even as
do your own young men. But in our own country
the people are so many that there is little room for
game, which is consequently very scarce. Therefore
my friend said ; * Lo, I will go to Africa, where the
people are few and game is abundant, and there will
I hunt the lion, the leopard, the elephant, the rhino-

1 The author is here referring- to events which occurred in two of his previous
books: The Logo/ the '* Flying Fish", and With Airship and Submarine (both
published by Messrs, Blackie & Son, Limited).

126 Adventures of Dick Maitland

ceros, the buffalo, and all those other animals that
afFord good sport, and are not to be found in England ;
also I am desirous of seeing the wonderful ruins of
that great and ancient city whereof the four Spirits
of the Winds have spoken; therefore will I go to the
Makolo country, wherein those ruins are to be found,
and become the friend, if I may, of the king, and
his people.' And, as for me, I am a healer of all
kinds of sickness; I am also a seeker of gold, and
the stones that glitter. Therefore said my friend to me:
'Come, let us go together, for the journey shall be
to our mutual advantage; we will hunt together, and
if sickness overtake me you shall be my healer, while
such gold, or stones, or ivory as we may obtain shall
be yours.* Those, O Lobelalatutu ! are our sole reasons
for coming hither. Are they not good and sufficient?"

''They may be sufficient in your own eyes; but as
for me, I know not," answered the king. '*The thing
that I would know is this : Come ye as friends, or
as secret enemies, of me and my people?"

"Have I not said?" returned Dick. '*My friend
would be the friend of you and your people; and his
friends will also be my friends ; his enemies my
enemies. If ye should need such help as it is in our
power to give, it shall be yours, freely; and all we
ask in return is that we may be allowed to examine
the ruins at our leisure, and to take away with us
such gold or stones as we may find."

"It is well," answered the king. "If that be all
ye ask, it is granted. Ye may examine the ruins at
your pleasure; ye may remain in my country as long
as ye will, and no man shall molest you; and what-
soever ye may find that is valuable in your eyes, that
shall ye take with you when ye leave my country.
That is my word, the word of the king. Say now,
is it good?"

King Lobelalatutu 127

"It is very good, and the Spirits will be well pleased
when they learn that you have granted our request,"
answered Dick.

The king gave vent to a sigh of evident relief; it
was clear that he wished to stand well with these
two friends of the great and terrible Spirits of the
Winds, who by the potency of their magic had been
able to punish his predecessor M'Bongwele for his evil-
doing, and to place himself upon the vacant throne.
Yet it was apparent that there was still something
at the back of the king's mind, something that he
keenly desired yet hesitated to speak of. For two or
three minutes he sat plunged in deep and painful
meditation ; then he looked up and said :

*' It is well; I am glad that ye have come hither,
O white men ! for when ye return to your own country
ye will be able to tell the Spirits that I have faith-
fully obeyed all the injunctions that they laid upon
me. Ha ! There is one thing more that I would
ask. Ye speak not the tongue of the Makolo, yet ye
were able to communicate with my people as soon
as ye entered my borders. By what means did ye
so?"

*'Oh, quite easily!" answered Dick — who, being
the better linguist of the two, naturally assumed the
part of spokesman. **We have with us a man who
speaks the Makolo tongue, and whose language we
speak; therefore we communicate with your people
through him."

"Good!" exclaimed the king, in accents of extra-
ordinary satisfaction; "it is very good. Go now in
peace, O white men ! Ye are my friends, and no harm
shall befall ye while ye stay in the country of the
Makolo; I the king say it. And it may be, O healer
of sicknesses ! that I can help you in the matter of
the shining stones that ye crave to possess. See ye

128 Adventures of Dick Maitland

these?" And he pointed to the necklace of ruddy,
unpolished stones that he wore.

Dick stepped forward to look closer at the stones,
and finally took the loop of the necklace into his
hands. At first sight the stones appeared to be no
more than ordinary red pebbles, about the size of a
plover's eggf, or perhaps a little larger, the only pecu-
liarity being that they were exactly alike in cclour,
and that they all emitted a rich, ruddy light. lor a
minute or two Dick stood carefully examining the
stones ; and as he did so a faint, elusive memory
came to him in connection with them. Then suddenly
the memory became clear and, carefully suppressing
his excitement, he turned to Grosvenor and said,
in quite an ordinary tone of voice:

"Just come and have a look at these stones, Phil,
but be careful not to betray anything in the nature
of astonishment or admiration. Do you remember
reading that those four chaps in the Flying Fish
accidentally stumbled upon, first, the king's ruby neck-
lace, and then, through it, a ruby mine? Well, this
is undoubtedly the necklace ; and our friend here seems
to hint that he is willing to show us the spot where
similar stones may be found."

'* Looks like it, certainly," answered Grosvenor in
carefully modulated, matter-of-fact tones. ** Jolly fine
stones, aren't they? If you can contrive to take home
a sackful of those stones, old man, you need no longer
fear money troubles, eh? What?"

*'A sackful!" ejaculated Dick, with a laugh. "A
peck of them will completely satisfy me, my boy."
Then, turning to Lobelalatutu, who was keenly watch-
ing them both, he said :

"These stones, O King! are very good and of some
value in my country, though worthless here. Know
you where they are to be found?"

King Lobelalatutu 129

**I know," answered the king"; **and it may be
that I will show you the place; I cannot yet say,
but I will consider the matter. I have given instruc-
tions as to the place where your wagon shall outspan ;
it is near at hand, between the village and the ruins;
and if ye need anything, send word by your servant
to me, and I will see to it."

**We thank you, O Lobelalatutu!" answered Dick.
'*We go now; but to-morrow we will come again,
bearing with us the gifts that we have brought for thee
from England. Until then, farewell!"

Shortly after nine o'clock that night, while the two
friends, having dined, were sitting under the raised
front flap of their tent, enjoying the wonderful view
of the ruins, rising gaunt and black in the midst of
the landscape, flooded by the rays of the newly risen
moon, and chatting in desultory fashion over the events
of the day, as Grosvenor pulled contemplatively at his
well-charred brier pipe, Mafuta appeared before them
and, giving the usual salute, said :

** There is one from the village yonder who would
speak with my lords, if they be willing."

**Who is it, Mafuta — a man, or a woman?" de-
manded Dick.

**It is a man, 'w/ww^," answered Mafuta. Then,
drawing still nearer, and lowering his voice almost
to a whisper, he added: **He says he is named
Lobelalatutu!"

*'The king!" exclaimed Dick, starting to his feet
in amazement. "What the dickens is up now, I
wonder? Is he armed, Mafuta?"

*'Nay, lord, he is weaponless," answered Mafuta.

"Bring him hither," commanded Dick; "we will
speak with him."

Saluting again, Mafuta disappeared, and presently

(0 327) 9

I30 Adventures of Dick Maitland

returned escorting a tall savage, unarmed save fpr
a light switch, such as every native habitually carries,
in order to defend himself against the attacks of
snakes. He wore the keshla, or head ring, and was
naked save for the usual moucha or apron of deerskin.

F

As he stepped within range of the rays of the lamp,
which Dick had hastily lighted, his eyes rolled and
gleamed with something of apprehension in their ex-
pression; but despite his change of garb the white
men had no difficulty in recognizing the king.

** We see you, O Lobelalatutu ! " said Dick, adopting
the ordinary form of salutation among the natives,
for there was an air of secrecy about this visit that
seemed to suggest a desire on the part of the king
that he should be regarded as to some extent incognito.
** Enter, I pray you, and be seated" — pointing to the
chair which he had just vacated, and drawing forward
his medicine chest as a seat for himself, thus placing
the king between himself and Grosvenor.

With a sigh, whether of weariness or of relief was
not quite clear, the king sank into the chair indicated,
and when Mafuta would have discreetly withdrawn,
stopped him.

** Is this the man through whom you have hitherto
communicated with my people?" the king demanded,
and Mafuta duly translated the question.

Dick answered in the affirmative, adding: **Tell
him, Mafuta, that we know you to be faithful, and
are ready to trust you even with our lives."

This speech also Mafuta translated, with an air of
mingled hauteur and humility which was amusing
enough to Dick and Grosvenor.

For answer the king stood up and, laying his hand
upon Mafuta*s shoulder, looked piercingly into the
man's eyes for the space of a full minute or more.
On his part, Mafuta returned the gaze as steadfastly

King Lobelalatutu 131

as it was given; and it was an interesting sight to
the onlookers to see those two savages, both of them
splendid specimens of their respective races, endeavour-
ing to read each other's character. At length Lobela-
latutu removed his hand from the other's shoulder and
said:

**It is well! Tell your chiefs that I say you are a
true man, and that I, too, am willing to put my life
into your hands. Stay you here and interpret for me,
for I have a matter of moment to discuss with the
white men."

"Tell the king to say on," commanded Dick, when
this speech had been translated to them; and Lobela-
latutu, turning to Dick, said:

" I am in a great strait, O ^mlungus^ and know
not what to do. I would that the four Spirits of the
Winds, who made me king over the Makolo, were
here, for I have faithfully obeyed their injunctions,
and they would help me. But you are friends of the
Spirits, and it may be that your wisdom will find a
way for me. May I speak?"

CHAPTER IX

The Chief Witch Doctor's Plot

** Speak freely and without fear, O Lobelalatutu ! "
answered Dick. **TelI us your trouble; and it may
be that we shall, as you say, be able to point the way
to deliverance."

**Then — but first let the light be extinguished," said
the king-, pointing to the hurricane lamp suspended
from the pole of the tent. **It may be that some of
my people, standing yonder in the shadow, hoping to
behold some wonder, may see me with you, and, though
they might not recognize me, disguised as I am, I would
rather that no man should know that you have been
secretly visited this night."

"Right!" answered Dick in English. **I see your
point, old chap, and out goes the *glim'." And so saying
he took down the lamp, opened, and extinguished it.

*' It is well," approved the king, with a sigh of
relief. **Now can I talk without fear of discovery."
He paused for a moment, considering how he should
begin, then said: **As we talked to-day, O Healer of
Sicknesses!" — the native word for this expression (soon
abbreviated to ** Healer") forthwith became Dick's
name among the Makolo from that moment — **you
said that you knew what happened to M'Bongwele, the
king who ruled before me, and also how I came to be
made king in his stead. Know you also the story of
Seketulo, whom the Four Spirits made king in M'Bong-

wele's stead when they first came among the Makolo?"

132

Chief Witch Doctor's Plot 133

"Yes, we know," answered Dick. ** We know that
M'Bongwele was dethroned and banished by the four
Spirits because of his barbarous and iniquitous rule,
and that Seketulo was made king in his stead. We
know also that, after a time, M'Bongwele secretly re-
turned from exile, and, aided by certain powerful chiefs,
slew Seketulo and reinstated himself as King of the
Makolo. And, finally, we know that when the four
Spirits revisited this country in their great glittering
ship that flies through the air, they again deposed
M'Bongwele and hanged him and his chief witch doctor
from the bough of a tree, because, despite their previous
warning, they persisted in their evil doing. And in
M*Bongwele's place they made you, Lobelalatutu, King
of the Makolo."

*' It is even so, O Healer!" assented the king. **The
tale, as you tell it, is the truth ; and now I know of a
verity that, possessing this knowledge, you are like
unto the Spirits themselves, to be trusted, even as they
were; therefore will I, without fear, unfold to you the
tale of my present trouble. It was the dissatisfaction of
certain chiefs with Seketulo*s system of government,
as prescribed to him by the four Spirits, that made
M'Bongwele's secret return and his resumption of the
throne possible. Seketulo was instructed to govern
the Makolo justly and humanely, to put a stop to the
oppression of the people by the chiefs, and, above all,
not to make war upon the neighbouring nations save
in self-defence. It was this last restriction that occa-
sioned the greatest discontent among certain of the
chiefs; because, the Makolo being a powerful and war-
like nation, we were generally victorious when we went
to war, and the greater part of the spoils went to the
chiefs, who thus increased their riches as often as we
made raids upon our neighbours. But under Seketulo's
rule all this was altered, and we were obliged to be

134 Adventures of Dick Maitland

content with such wealth as we already possessed;
hence the discontent and all that followed upon it.
Now, since I became king, I have endeavoured to
govern my people even as Seketulo did; and for a
long time things have gone very well with us; the
number of the Makolo, no longer kept down by war,
has greatly increased, as also has our prosperity; for
now that war is no longer part of its policy the nation
has devoted itself to agriculture and the breeding of
cattle, our herds have greatly multiplied, new villages
have sprung up, fresh land has every year been brought
under cultivation, and all have enough, and more than
enough, to satisfy their wants. But of late I have
suspected that, despite our steadily increasing pros-
perity, all is not well with us. I have detected signs
of discontent not only among the chiefs, but among
the people themselves; there have been murmurs that
the long peace which we have enjoyed is converting the
Makolo into a nation of women who will soon lose
the capacity for fighting; our neighbours are growing
insolent and aggressive ; and — worst sign of all — those
chiefs who most boldly support me in my determina-
tion to continue to rule in accordance with the tenets
laid down by the four Spirits, are rapidly dying off,
one after the other, by some mysterious disease."

**Phew! I say, that looks very fishy, doesn't it,
Dick?" exclaimed Grosvenor, when the king had con-
cluded his story. "Smacks of conspiracy and secret
murder — eh, what?"

**yes," agreed Dick; "I must confess that it un-
doubtedly has a look of that kind of thing about it."
Then, turning to Lobelalatutu, he asked:

**How long is it since the chiefs who support you
began to sicken and die; and how many have already
passed along the Dark Path?"

** It is now nearly three moons since 'Mtatu, my most

Chief Witch Doctor's Plot 135

trustworthy chief, died ; and since then five others have
travelled along* the same Dark Road," answered the
king". "And now a seventh, 'Nkuni, lies sick in his
hut with the same symptoms as the others. Three
nights and two days has he thus lain."

"And how long does the sickness usually last?"
asked Dick, his professional instincts being at once
aroused.

"They usually die on the seventh day after the sick-
ness declares itself," answered the king.

"Good!" responded Dick. "Then your friend is in
no immediate danger; and to-morrow, when we present
ourselves before you with our gifts, I will see him, and
it may be that I shall be able to save his life. Have
you aught further to tell us?"

"No," answered the king. "I have now told all.
But I fear that all these things portend evil to me,
and, perchance, the end of my reign and life. It is
for this reason that I have visited you to-night in
secret; for I hoped that if a conspiracy is growing
up against me you might be able to name the con-
pirators to me. That is all the help I ask," he finished
grimly.

"Yes," answered Dick; "I have no doubt that if
we could ascertain the identity of the conspirators — if
any — you could be safely trusted to do the rest. Well,
we will see what can be done to help you. Must you
really go? Well, good night! Take care of yourself;
or, in other words, hamha gahli,^''

As the tall, dark figure of Lobelalatutu strode away
down the slight slope, upon the summit of which the
tent was pitched, and melted into the shadows, Gros-
venor turned to his companion, who had now re-seated
himself, and said :

"It seems to me, friend Dick, that we have arrived
upon the scene at the psychological moment — eh.

136 Adventures of Dick Maitland

what? If our friend Lobelalatutu*s suspicions have any
better foundation than his own imagfination, it strikes
me that we are on the eve of exciting times. What
say you?"

'*I say yes to that, most emphatically," responded
Dick. "For, don't make any mistake, Phil, the king's
imagination is not running away with him ; the death
of six chiefs in quick succession, followed by the serious
illness of a seventh, is something more than mere co-
incidence; it means conspiracy, followed by ghastly,
blood-curdling tragedy — unless we can contrive by

some means to discover the identity of the conspirators
in time. As for those unfortunate chiefs, I have not
the slightest doubt that they have been removed by
poison — some secret and comparatively slow but deadly
poison, and I intend to make it my first business to
discover what that poison is, and its antidote — if I can.
The chances are, however, that I shall fail, for almost
all the savage peoples possess a great deal more know-
ledge of drugs, and especially of poisons, than we
civilized folk are aware of, or are inclined to credit
them with; and if poison is really being employed, it
will almost certainly be something of which I have no
knowledge. Still, we shall see. And you may be sure
that I shall use my very best efforts to succeed, and
also to discover the details of the conspiracy which
Lobelalatutu suspects ; for, should it succeed, we shall
find ourselves in an exceedingly awkward predicament."

**Why — how do you mean?" demanded Grosvenor.

**How do I mean?" repeated Dick. **Why, in a
few words, I mean this, that so long as Lobelalatutu
lives and continues to govern this people we are reason-
ably safe. But if he should happen to be deposed, and
murdered, the new king will most probably sacrifice us
both to his fetish as a sort of thankoffering for his
success. Twig?"

Chief Witch Doctor's Plot 137

"Of course I do," answered Grosvenor. '*I had
never thought of that; but it seems likely enough, now
that you come to mention it. It appears to me that
our first business must be to straighten out matters,
for our own sakes as well as for that of Lobelalatutu.
Poor chap ! Here is he, a despot, with absolute power
over the life of every one of his subjects; you would
naturally suppose that such a man would have nothing
to fear, wouldn't you? Yet, like other monarchs, he
seems liable at any moment to become the victim of
secret intrigue, and lose his crown and his life together.
I thought the poor chap looked worried when we called
upon him to-day. The Bard was right — * Uneasy lies
the head that wears a crown', be the head that of a
civilized monarch or a savage."

"True for you, my boy," answered Dick. " But are
you not beginning to feel tired? Because, if you are,
pray don't stand on ceremony, but turn in as soon as
you like. As for me, I think I will sit up a bit longer
and see if I cannot think this matter out and find a
streak of daylight somewhere."

"Which, I suppose, is a hint that you don't need
my company any longer," retorted Grosvenor. "All
right, old chap, pray don't apologize. I know I'm a
bit of a duffer in such matters as this, so I'll leave you
to thresh it out alone, and turn in for a good night's
sleep — eh, what?"

Left to himself, Dick Maitland sat far into the night,
considering the situation unfolded to him by the king;
and at length an inspiration came to him, by following
which he thought it possible that he might be able to
clear up the mystery connected with the deaths of
Lobelalatutu's most trusted chiefs, and perhaps dis-
cover whether or not there really existed a conspiracy
to overthrow that monarch and restore the barbarous
practices that had made the rule of the last king

138 Adventures of Dick Maitland

literally a reign of terror. Then he turned into his
hammock and slept soundly until Mafuta aroused him
at sunrise with the early cup of chocolate which was the
invariable prelude to the business of the day.

The first thing after breakfast the two friends walked
to the wagon, which was outspanned close at hand, and
opened the boxes and bales which contained the various
articles which they had brought with them to serve as
presents and media of barter, and from the contents
of these they selected a liberal assortment of gifts for
the king, his wives, and the most important chiefs in
His Majesty's immediate entourage. These they handed
over to the care of Mafuta, Jantje, and 'Nkuku the voor-
louper; then, directing the trio to follow them, Dick
and Grosvenor mounted their horses and rode at a
footpace to the king's village.

The distribution of the gifts proved to be a some-
what lengthy function, for the articles presented in-
cluded a considerable number of mechanical toys,
the working of each of which had to be carefully ex-
plained to the recipient; but at length it came to an
end, to the apparent satisfaction of everybody con-
cerned, and then Dick said to the king:

** Your Majesty is aware that I am a healer of sick-
ness; is there any member of your family, or anyone
in whom you are interested, lying sick at the present
moment? Because, if so, I shall be very glad to do
what I can to restore the patient to health."

The king looked doubtfully at Dick for a moment
or two, as though not quite comprehending the drift
of the question ; then something in the expression
of Maitland's face led to his understanding, and he
replied :

"There is no one of my household at present sick,
O Healer ! but one of my chiefs — a man named *Nkuni,
who is my friend, lies nigh unto death; and if you

Chief Witch Doctor's Plot 139

can heal him I shall be grateful to you, for he is very
dear to me. His sickness is the same as that which
has already sent six other chiefs along the Dark Path;
and it is of so strange and deadly a nature that
Sekosini, the head witch doctor, can find no cure
for it."

As the king thus spoke Dick was keenly watching
the faces of the various persons present, and he noted
with something of a thrill that four or five of the chiefs
seemed to exchange stealthy glances of meaning with
each other, and also, despite their assumption of in-
difference, to exhibit signs of inward perturbation.
But it was no part of his policy to show that he had
observed these things; he therefore responded to the
king:

*'Ah, it may be that the sickness J'rom which *Nkuni
is suffering is a sickness new to this country ; and if it
should prove to be so it is not surprising that Sekosini
is unable to conquer it. It may be, however, that it
is akin to some of the diseases with which I am
acquainted, and in that case I can save the chief's life.
We will go to his hut and see him even now, if the
king will direct someone to conduct us thither."

Lobelalatutu at once turned to one of the chiefs
present, and said :

'* Ingona, you are 'Nkuni's friend; take these white
men to his hut, that the Healer may see him, and
perchance restore to him his health and strength."

Two minutes later Dick stood in the hut of *Nkuni,
and saw, lying stretched upon the pallet before him',
a man somewhat past the prime of life who, when in
health, must have been a very fine specimen of manhood.
Now, however, he was thin and wasted, his skin was
cold yet dry, his pulse was exceedingly feeble and
erratic, and he was in a terribly exhausted condition,
having suffered a severe paroxysm of abdominal pain

I40 Adventures of Dick Maitland

shortly after swallowing a draught of milk which had
been administered to him by Sekosini's order. This
last fact, together with several other details respecting
the progress of the disease, were communicated by
the man*s chief wife, who appeared to be greatly con-
cerned about him, as was naturally to be expected.

** Where is the vessel from which the milk was
drunk?" demanded Dick, when the woman had told
all that she had to tell.

A calabash bowl capable of containing about a quart
was produced for his inspection, and he saw with satis-
faction that it had not yet been washed. The film of
milk still clinging to its interior showed that it had
been about half full when offered to the patient, and
about a teaspoonful of milk still remained in the bowl.
Of this vessel Dick instantly took possession, handing
it over to Grosvenor, with instructions not to spill a
single drop of its contents on any account. Then he
asked if any medicine had been administered in the
milk, and was answered in the affirmative, a very
small calabash bottle being shown which had contained
the drug. Of this also Dick took possession. Next,
having brought his medicine chest with him, in accord-
ance with the plans which he had made overnight, the
young doctor administered a powerful emetic, then he
locked the chest, slipped the key into his pocket, and,
leaving the chest in the hut to obviate the incon-
venience of carrying it to and fro, he gave certain
instructions to the chief's wife, and then requested
Ingona to conduct him to the hut of Sekosini, the
chief witch doctor.

This request appeared to fill Ingona with alarm,
which he made no attempt to conceal. He informed
Dick that Sekosini was a very great man indeed,
second in power and influence only to Lobelalatutu
himself; that it was not his custom to receive visitors

Chief Witch Doctor's Plot 141

unless permission had first been asked, the request
being invariably accompanied by a present; that evil
invariably befell those who were foolhardy enough to
offend him; and that if he — Ingona — might presume
to advise, he would strongly recommend the white
man not to go near him, as Sekosini had always mani-
fested a peculiarly strong aversion to strangers, and
especially to white men since the two visits of the
Spirits of the Winds to the Makolo country.

All this, however, only tended to strengthen certain
suspicions which Dick had already formed; but he did
not express them to Ingona; he blandly explained to
that chief that, having been requested by the king
to use his best endeavours to cure 'Nkuni, he wished
to see Sekosini and consult with him, in order that
he might learn as many particulars as possible respect-
ing the ailment from which 'Nkuni was suffering.
This explanation appeared at least partially to satisfy
Ingona, who made no further attempt to dissuade
Dick from his purpose, but, on the contrary, offered
to go forward and prepare Sekosini for the proposed
visit. To this proposal, since it could scarcely inter-
fere with his plans, Dick cheerfully assented, where-
upon Ingona, pointing out the witch doctor's hut,
which stood a good quarter of a mile apart from all
others, hastened toward it at the long, swinging trot
which enables the South African savage to get over
the ground so quickly and which he can maintain for
such an incredible length of time.

Dick, meanwhile, accompanied only by Mafuta to
act as interpreter, sauntered slowly on his way, for
the double purpose of arranging mentally the plan of
his impending interview with Sekosini, and giving
Ingona time to say whatever he might wish to say to
the witch doctor.

It was about a quarter of an hour later that, as Dick

142 Adv'entures of Dick Maitland

and his henchman approached the witch doctor's hut,
Ingona emerged from it with the gratifying intimation
that he had succeeded in inducing Sekosini graciously
to accord the white man an audience. Whereupon the
white man, having suitably expressed the satisfaction
which was his at so great an honour, stooped and
passed into the hut, preceded by Ingona and followed
by Mafuta, whose original wholesome fear of wizards
had by this time become completely swamped by his
belief in the power of his master to circumvent the
most powerful wizard that ever lived.

The hut of Sekosini afforded no indication of the
importance of its owner, for it was of the same size
as, and in all other respects similar to, the other huts
of the ordinary natives, that is, as regarded its ex-
ternal appearance. Inside, however, there was a very
marked difference; for whereas the ordinary native is
content to sleep on the bare floor, Sekosini was satis-
fied with nothing less than a bed, consisting of a
quadrangular framework of hardwood supported, at
the height of a foot above the floor, by four stout
posts driven firmly into the ground, the skeleton frame-
work being strapped across and lengthways by a great
number of tightly strained raw-hide thongs upon which
were piled several very valuable karosses, or skin
rugs. Also the interior of the hut was thickly hung
with bunches of dried herbs and other objects, the
precise nature of which Dick was at first unable to
determine in the comparative obscurity of the interior,
passing at once, as he did, from the blazing sunshine
of the open direct into an interior which was unillumi-
nated save by such light as penetrated through the
low, narrow entrance.

For a full minute he stood, mute and motionless,
waiting for his eyes to accustom themselves to the
change; then the various objects of the interior gradu-

Chief Witch Doctor's Plot 143

ally began to reveal themselves to him with increasing
distinctness, and he found himself face to face with a
thin, wizened, shrunken creature of apparently in-
credible age, without a particle of hair on head or
face, but with a pair of eyes that glowed like car-
buncles within their cavernous sockets. He was seated
cross-legged upon the floor, was absolutely naked, save
for a necklace of snake skin, and was toying with an
enormous green mamha — one of the most deadly
of South African snakes — that lay coiled between his
legs with its cruel, vindictive eyes fixed immovably
upon the visitor. Beside Sekosini stood Ingona,
apparently impassive, but his quick, irregular breathing
betrayed the fact that he was labouring under a con-
siderable amount of excitement. As for the witch
doctor, his face wore a smile of concentrated malice,
as though he anticipated something in the nature of
a conflict with this audacious white ^mfanUy and was
already exulting in the prospect of a quick and over-
whelming victory.

Suddenly he fixed his eyes intently upon Dick's, and
said, in soft, sibilant tones :

**Well, ^mlungUj what want ye with Sekosini?"
It was the moment and the opportunity for which
Dick had been waiting. Gazing intently into the eyes
of the savage, in the peculiar manner that he had
learned from Humphreys, the young doctor suddenly
concentrated his will upon the effort to bring his foe —
for as such he intuitively recognized Sekosini — under
subjugation. For a moment the strangely contrasted
pair gazed at each other, and then some strange sen-
sation experienced by the witch doctor seemed to warn
him of what was happening. But it was too late;
Dick had caught him unawares, and so absolutely
instantaneous was the hypnotic method which Hum-
phreys had taught his pupil that before Sekosini could

144 Adventures of Dick Maitland

offer any effective resistance his will had completely
succumbed to Dick*s, and he was in the latter's power.
In response to Dick's unspoken thought he said;
"Ask what you will, and I will answer."
**You hear?" demanded Dick, turning his gaze for
a moment upon Ingona.

**I hear," answered Ingona, unsuspectingly meeting

Dick's gaze as he replied, and in that moment he, too,
was brought under the young doctor's influence. For
a few seconds longer Dick kept his unwinking gaze
steadfastly fixed upon the chief, mentally commanding
him to forget everything that he might see and hear
during the interview; and then he again turned his
attention to the witch doctor. He recalled to mind a
declaration of Humphreys' upon which the latter had
laid great stress: **The spoken word, where you can
use it, is always more potent than the unspoken, but
whether it is understood or not is really a minor
matter; it is the emphasis, the insistence which is
conveyed by speech, added to the will power em-
ployed, that renders the operator absolutely irresist-
ible. " As it was of the utmost importance that
Sekosini should remain completely under his influence
until the whole affair was brought to an end, he now
once more sent his compelling gaze into the unblinking
eyes of the ancient savage, and finally said to him,
in English :

** Henceforth, until I release you, your will is mine;
you will think and act only as I direct. You under-
stand?"

** I understand, and will obey," answered Sekosini.

**Good!" returned Dick. **Now I command you to
tell me the absolute truth. Know you anything relative
to the sickness from which the chief *Nkuni is suffering,
or the sickness from which 'Mtatu and the other five
chiefs died?"

Chief Witch Doctor's Plot 145

'* Yes," answered Sekosini — and the answer in nowise
surprised Dick; ** I know all. 'Nkuni is slowly dying
of poison administered by me, the same poison that
sent 'Mtatu and the other five chiefs along the Dark
Path. The destruction of these men is preliminary to
the destruction of the king, of whose method of govern-
ment I and others disapprove. I might have destroyed
Lobelalatutu alone ; but if the chiefs whom I have de-
stroyed had been allowed to live it would assuredly
have led to trouble, therefore have I destroyed them
first. When 'Nkuni dies the chiefs who think as I
do will be strong enough to act without fear of op-
position, and we shall be able to destroy Lobelalatutu
and restore the system which prevailed when M'Bong-
wele reigned, the system by which the chiefs and the
witch doctors were able to acquire much wealth instead
of living, as we do now, in comparative poverty."

** Then," demanded Dick, ** do I understand that
under Lobelalatutu's rule you have not a sufficiency to
meet all your wants?"

** I have a sufficiency, yes," answered Sekosini; **but
I would have much more than that. I would have
wealth, great wealth, and, above all, power, the power
that the witch doctors wielded in M'Bongwele's time.
True, I have much power even now ; but it is as nothing
to the power that was wielded by MTusa, the chief
witch doctor whom the accursed Spirits of the Winds
sent along the Dark Path with M'Bongwele, the king."

"I see," said Dick meditatively. **And are there
any others concerned with you in this precious scheme
of yours to remove Lobelalatutu?"

**Yes," answered Sekosini, ** there are Ingona, Lam-
bati, Mapela, Moroosi, Amakosa, N*Ampata, and Seku-
kuni, all chiefs."

** Quite a formidable little crowd," mused Dick, as
he drew forth his pocket book to make a few notes.

(C327) 10

146 Adventures of Dick Maitland

** Just repeat those names agfain — slowly, if you please,"
he commanded.

Sekosini did so, and Dick noted down the names very
carefully, so that there should be no mistake, for some
of the native names are quite embarrassingly similar in
sound.

'*Now," resumed Dick, when he had done this, **to
return to *Nkuni. What is the poison that you have
been administering- to him?"

"It is a decoction of the leaves of the plant that
hang's immediately over your head," answered Seko-
sini.

Dick reached up and touched a thick branch depend-
ing from the roof of the hut. **This?" he asked,

Sekosini assented, and Dick took down the branch
and examined it. It seemed quite an ordinary shrub
to all appearance. He handed it over to Mafuta for
safekeeping.

"Next question," said Dick, "Is there an antidote
to this particular poison?"

"Oh yes!" answered the witch doctoi cheerfully;
"I never use a poison that has no antidote, because
it is sometimes desirable to alter one's plans at the
last moment."

"Quite so," assented Dick; "and I am going to
alter your plans with regard to 'Nkuni straight away.
Where is your antidote, and how is it prepared?"

" It is contained in those roots," answered Sekosini,
pointing to a bundle of bulblike objects also suspended
from the roof. "The method of preparation is simple.
A root is taken, cleaned from the adhering soil, and
boiled in water until it is soft enough to crush between

the fingers. Then the liquid is allowed to cool and
strained through cloth. This liquid is of a dark colour,
almost black. To administer it, add enough water to
stain it very pale yellow, and let the patient drink as

Chief Witch Doctor's Plot 147

he will; the more he drinks the quicker will be his

cure."

'* Excellent! I shall easily remember that," mur-
mured Dick. Then, addressing the witch doctor, he
said:

"That is all I want to know at present. Now,
remain here until I summon you to the presence of
the king-. Mafuta, take these roots, and we will be
going."

Two hours later he had prepared a sufficient quantity
of the antidote to fill an eight-ounce medicine bottle;
and as the stuff was exceedingly strong, he believed
that this ought to be nearly, or quite, sufficient to effect
a complete cure. Armed with this, he made his way
to 'Nkuni's hut, and was gratified to find that the
emetic had been productive of very satisfactory results,
the pain being greatly eased, while the temperature of
the body had become almost normal. He now ad-
ministered a good stiff dose of the antidote, and left
the bottle containing it in charge of the patient's wife,
giving her the most minute instructions respecting its
administration. This done, he proceeded to the en-
closed part of the village containing the king's house
and its dependencies, and informed the sentries at the
gate of the palisade that he desired to report personally
to the king the state of the chief 'Nkuni, from whose
hut he had just come. The sentries had already re-
ceived orders to admit the white men whenever they
should present themselves, and in a few minutes Dick
found himself standing in the presence of Lobelalatutu.

CHAPTER X

Dick's '' Magic

?>

The king was reclining upon a sort of sofa, with two
or three of his wives fanning him to drive away the
flies, when The Healer was announced ; but a word
caused the women to scuttle off to their own quarters
like frightened rabbits, while Lobelalatutu rose to a
sitting position as Dick entered, followed by Mafuta.

*'I see you, O Healer!" exclaimed the king with
cordiality, before Dick could say a word. ** Draw near
and sit beside me. It is said that you have news ot
'Nkuni for me. Have you seen him?"

** Twice this day have I seen him," answered Dick;
**once when I went forth from your presence this
morning, and again but a short time since. I came
hither directly from his hut."

'* And has your skill enabled you to find out what is
wrong with him?" demanded the king,

** It has," answered Dick. ** Your friend *Nkuni was
slowly dying from the effects of the same poison that
slew the others. But I can save him, and he shall live,
it may be to serve you better than some of those chiefs
who, professing to be loyal to you, are secretly planning
your overthrow and death."

**^m/" ejaculated Lobelalatutu; **is it so? Then my
suspicions were not ill-founded. But, tell me, how came
you to learn this?"

** When I first visited the hut of 'Nkuni this morning,

U8

Dick's " Magic " 149

conducted thither by the chief Ingona, whom you thought
to be *Nkuni's friend," answered Dick, ** I found that
Sekosini, the chief witch doctor, had been administering
to the sick man certain medicines with the alleged pur-
pose of healing him of his sickness. When I entered
his hut 'Nkuni seemed to be nigh unto death, having
endured much pain after swallowing a draught of milk
containing medicine supplied by Sekosini. The symp-
toms were those of poisoning; I, therefore, took posses-
sion of the unwashed vessel which had contained the
milk, and also the remainder of the medicine supplied
by Sekosini, with the object of examining both. I have
not yet done that, for the examination would take time,
and 'Nkuni's case seemed urgent; therefore I went to
Sekosini's hut to talk with him about it. And when at
length I stood face to face with the witch doctor I laid
my magic upon him, so that he was perforce obliged
to tell me all the truth of the matter ; and he confessed
that 'Nkuni's illness was part of a conspiracy to remove
your friends from you, that you might be deposed and
slain, and the iniquitous system of government prac-
tised by M'Bongwele restored."

*M«, it is well!" exclaimed the king in a low stern
voice; **it is very well. The vile, treacherous witch
doctor shall be brought hither and placed before a slow
fire until he gives up the names of those who are con-
spiring with him, and then "

"Nay," interrupted Dick, ** there is no need; Seko-
sini has already voluntarily given me the names of
those chiefs who are his partners in the conspiracy
against you. They are " — Dick drew out his pocket
book and read — ** Ingona, Lambati, Mapela, Moroosi,
Amakosa, N'Ampata, and Sekukuni — nay, do nothing
rashly, I pray you, but sit still and hear what I have
to say." For at the mention of those seven names the
king had sprung to his feet in an access of fury, and

I50 Adventures of Dick Maitland

seemed about to summon his guard. But at Dick's
persuasion he seated himself ag-ain, thoug"h he was
much too excited for the moment to listen to his white
visitor, muttering^ over to himself the names of the con-
spirators.

** Ingona — Ing^ona," he hissed througfh his clenched
teeth, **the man whom I believed to be the most loyal
of all my chiefs, the man who evidently feigned friend-
ship with *Nkuni only to betray him to his death! But
I will make a terrible example of these rebels; they
shall die such deaths that "

"Stop!" commanded Dick- *'Is this how the Four
Spirits who placed you on the throne of the Makolo
taught you to administer justice?"

*' Nay," answered the king. **But this is no ordi-
nary crime; it is as vile, in intention at least, as that
of those who conspired against Seketulo and restored
M'Bongwele. Those chiefs were not only responsible
for the death of Seketulo, but also for the horrors that
followed ; they were "

"Just so," interrupted Dick; "they were all that and
more. But even that does not justify you in torturing
these men to death. Destroy them, by all means, if
you will, so that they may never again have the oppor-
tunity to do perhaps irreparable mischief; and let their
death be so ignominious that it shall be a warning to
all others; but let it be humane. In a word, hang
them, even as M'Bongwele and M'Pusa, his chief
witch doctor, were hanged. That surely ought to
suffice for all practical purposes, should it not?"

"Possibly," assented the king unwillingly. "The
death by hanging and the disgrace of it are greatly
feared, and it may be that "

"Yes," interrupted Dick soothingly, "of course it
will. Then that is settled, eh? Because I want you
to understand that unless you definitely promise me

Dick's ^* Magic " 151

that there shall be no torture I shall be obliged to
withdraw from this business altogether; moreover, I
will take my magic off Sekosini, and then nothing that
you can do will make him confess or incriminate the
others. You know that, don't you?"

* * Yes, it Is true, " admitted the king reluctantly ;
'* Sekosini is very obstinate; and if he were so minded
he would refuse to confess, even were he staked out on
an ant's nest."

"Of course he would," agreed Dick. "Therefore
you see for yourself how futile anything of that kind
would be. It would only make of him a martyr, and
of you a cruel, revengeful, suspicious brute in the eyes
of your people. But if he and his fellow conspirators
can be brought to admit their guilt publicly, you at once
become the righteous judge, and score accordingly.
And I can make them confess if they are really guilty,
as Sekosini asserts."

"Then tell me, O Healer! what do you advise?"
asked the king,

" This," answered Dick. " I advise that you summon
the whole of your chiefs to present themselves before
you, and when they are assembled, Sekosini shall be
called into your presence and commanded to tell his
version of the story of the conspiracy in the hearing
of all the chiefs. Then, if the chiefs implicated have
any excuse to offer, let them offer it; if they have not,
let them be hanged as plotters against the authority and
person of the king."

"It is well said; the advice is good, and shall be
followed, " exclaimed the king. * * It shall be done
forthwith. I will send forth a messenger commanding
all chiefs to present themselves before me in the Great
Place, in connection with a matter of import; and when
they have assembled, Sekosini also shall be brought
hither."

152 Adventures of Dick Maitland

** There is no need for you to trouble about Sekosini,"
answered Dick. '*When you require his presence I
will bring him to you by the power of my magic."

About an hour later Lobelalatutu, having summoned
his chiefs, sat upon his throne in the centre of the Great
Place before his palace, with Dick beside him, and his
bodyguard of some five hundred warriors, fully armed,
arranged in a wide circle round him. Then the chiefs
began to arrive, singly, or in twos or threes, until all
were present; and as each arrived he was admitted to
the interior of the circle of guards, where he squatted
on his haunches before the king, the entire assemblage
of chiefs, some thirty in number, forming themselves
into an arc of a circle at a distance of about twenty
feet from the throne. When at length it had been
ascertained that every chief except the sick 'Nkuni
was present, the king turned to Dick and said :

"Now, O Healer! by the power of your magic, cause
Sekosini, the chief witch doctor, to come hither, I pray
you."

At the king's words there occurred an uneasy move-
ment among the assembled chiefs, some of whom ex-
changed quick, furtive glances of apprehension, which
were duly noted by Dick and the king. The latter smiled
somewhat sardonically and, beckoning the chief of his
bodyguard toward him, murmured certain instructions
in his ear. Meanwhile Dick, concentrating his thoughts
upon Sekosini, mentally commanded him at once to
present himself before the king in the Great Place.
A quarter of an hour of somewhat painful tension
followed, during which no word was spoken by any one
of those who were hemmed in by the circle of armed
guards, and then the chief witch doctor was seen
approaching. He entered the circle of the guards,
through a gap which was opened to give him passage —
and which instantly closed again behind him-— did bonga

Dick's " Magic" 153

(homage) to the king, and then stood, silent and serene,
about midway between the king and the line of sitting
chiefs. His aspect of perfect serenity, due to the fact
that he was still completely under Dick's hypnotic
influence, seemed to reassure certain of the assembled
chiefs, whose faces had shown signs of anxiety; but the
fact that The Healer, sitting there silent and impassive
beside the king, had been able to summon Sekosini
from a distance, and compel his presence, had been
duly noted, and hands were placed over mouths, and
low murmurs of ^^ Au! ^mtagati; ^mkulu ^mtagatt^^ (a
wizard; a great wizard) ran round the assembly.

The king himself was by no means unimpressed by
this evidence of Dick*s wonderful power. He decided
that it was a thing to be remembered; but it in nowise
troubled him, for it was being exercised in his behalf.
He, however, allowed time for the effect to sink into and
take good hold of the minds of the spectators, for he was
shrewd enough to recognize that the possession of such
an ally must materially strengthen his own position ;
and at length, when he believed that the incident had
produced its full eff"ect, he sprang a new surprise upon
his audience by saying, in a loud voice :

** Stand forth, O Sekosini! and tell us what you know
concerning the sickness of the chief, *Nkuni, and the
deaths of those other six who have recently travelled
along the Dark Path!"

Then, to the unutterable confusion and dismay of his
fellow conspirators, the chief witch doctor, speaking in
a loud, clear voice, proceeded clearly and succinctly to
unfold detail after detail of the plot for the overthrow
of the king, and the means whereby it had been hoped
to accomplish it, including the murder of the six chiefs
who, it was believed, were powerful enough to render
the scheme abortive. As the full, cold-blooded atrocity
of the conspiracy became revealed, murmurs of anger

154 Adventures of Dick Maitland

and detestation, low at first, but louder as the story
proceeded, began to run round the line of chiefs, while
those who sat next the parties implicated edged away
from them on either side as far as possible, until
they crouched, isolated, crestfallen, and self-condemned
by their guilty countenances, a target for all eyes. At
length Sekosini's story came to an end, and for a few
tense moments a profound silence ensued. There was
not an individual present who did not realize the vital
importance to the entire nation of the issues that had
been raised by the witch doctor's confession, and the
manner in which those issues would be dealt with by
the king. Disaffection, secretly fomented and care-
fully nurtured, had grown so strong that it now
threatened to disintegrate the whole nation, and unless
it were firmly dealt with would probably split up the
Makolo into a number of petty tribes, at enmity with
each other, and an easy prey to those other nations who
surrounded them. Would the king have the courage
boldly to seize the hydra-headed menace and choke the
life out of it, or would he resort to a policy of temporiz-
ing and concession? Everybody present awaited the
king's action in breathless suspense, while some were
already grimly counting the number of spears upon
which they might reckon to back them. But the
anxious breedings of the assemblage were suddenly
broken in upon by the voice of the king, who, lifting
his head, cried in a loud voice:

** Ingona, trusted friend and counsellor of the king,
induna of the Makolosi regiment, the very flower and
backbone of my army, you have heard the tale told
by Sekosini. Say now, is that tale false, or is it true?"

Ingona, a war-scarred veteran of perhaps fifty years
of age, tall, straight as a spear shaft, and of command-
ing presence, rose to his feet and answered in a clear,
deep voice:

Dick's " Magic" 155

** It is true, O Mighty One! true in every detail."

**It is true," repeated the king:, in a tone of deep
sorrow; **yes, unhappily there is no room to doubt it;
every word carried conviction of its truthfulness to my
mind. It is true; and the meaning- of that is that the
chiefs of the Makolo are divided into two factions,
one of which would leave the government of the nation
in my hands, while the other would entrust it to —
whom?"

"Nay, O Great One! who can say? We had not
agreed as to that," answered Ingona.

**Then — after my death — how was the matter to
have been decided?" demanded the king.

** Who can say?" again answered Ingona. **We
should probably have fought it out, and the victor
would have seized the throne."

**And ye would have set the Makolo at each other*s
throats for — what?" demanded Lobelalatutu.

"Truly, I know not," answered Ingona, "unless it
were to satisfy the ambition of Sekosini. He has
already confessed that he was the originator of the
conspiracy, and therein he spoke no more than the
truth. He is guileful as a snake; he has the gift of
persuasive speech, and knowing that some of us were
chafing under prolonged inaction, he used his cunning
and the power of his tongue to stir our discontent into
indignation, and finally into hatred and a fierce determi-
nation to effect a change. By the power of his magic
he turned our hearts from thee, O Great One! and made
us long, even as he did, for a return of such days as
those when M'Bongwele reigned, when we were ever
at war, when our young men became warriors instead
of husbandmen, and when we enriched ourselves with
the spoils of the vanquished. It was a dazzling dream
that he brought before our eyes, and for a time it
blinded me to the evils that lay behind it, and it is only

156 Adventures of Dick Maitland

now, when it is too late, that I perceive that evil, and
understand that Sekosini befooled and bewitched me
to the end that he might be raised to such power as
MTusa enjoyed during the reign of M'Bongwele, when
he and not M*Bongwele actually ruled the Makolo
people. It is enough; I have said!"

**Take him away to his hut; set a guard over him;
and see that he escape not," ordered the king. ** If he
be not forthcoming when wanted, the officer and guard
who have him in charge shall be crucified. Lambati,
you too are implicated in this conspiracy. Have you
aught to say in your defence?'*

**Nay, O Great One!" answered Lambati; "I could
but repeat the words of Ingona; and what would that
avail me? Nothing! I, too, have said!"

** Let him also be taken away, and watched as care-
fully as Ingona," ordered the king. ** Mapela, have you
aught to say in justification of your conspiracy against
me?"

**Aye, that have I," answered Mapela, springing to
his feet and speaking in a defiant tone of voice. "My
justification, O Lobelalatutu ! is that under your gover-
nance the Makolo, formerly the most powerful and
warlike nation in the world, is fast becoming a nation
of women, and the contempt and laughing-stock of
our neighbours. Soon shall we forget the art of war,
our young men will sicken at the sight and smell of
blood, and we shall become the prey of the first nation
that dares attack us. Are not these sufficient reasons
for our desire to see thee removed, and a man placed
upon the throne in thy stead?"

A low murmur, whether of approval or the reverse
it was difficult to say, ran round the line of assembled
chiefs at this defiant speech from the mouth of one
of the most powerful chiefs of the nation, but it sub-
sided again instantly.

Dick's " Magic" 157

**Have you aught further to say, O Mapela?" de-
manded the king.

**Nay," answered Mapela, still in the same defiant
tone of voice. **What I have already said should
surely be sufficient."

** It is," answered the king dryly, as he signed the
guards to remove the rebel. ** Is there anyone present
who thinks and feels as does Mapela?"

** Yea!" answered two of the implicated chiefs, named
respectively Amakosa and N*Ampata, as they simul-
taneously sprang to their feet.

"And have you, Amakosa, anything to add to, or
take from, what Mapela has said?" demanded the king.

*' Nothing!" briefly answered Amakosa.

** Or you, N'Ampata?" pressed the king.

** Only this, O Great One ! that I think it would have
been better had we approached thee and opened our
minds to thee before conspiring against thee. But the
plan was Sekosini's, and he would listen to no such
proposal; while I, who had been sworn to secrecy,
dared not break my oath," answered N'Ampata.

** Why not?" demanded Lobelalatutu. ** When I
was placed upon the throne, did not you, N*Ampata,
with all the other chiefs, swear allegiance and loyalty
to me? Yet you have dared to break that oath. Why,
then, should you not dare to break your oath to Seko-
sini? Was he greater than I, or his power more
than mine?"

** He persuaded me that it was; and also that,
since in the opinion of many you were misgoverning
the nation, I should be justified in breaking my oath
of allegiance," was the answer.

**Take them away!" commanded the king. And
when they had gone he called upon the two remaining
chiefs, Moroosi and Sekukuni, to justify themselves,
if they could.

158 Adventures of Dick Maitland

"I have naught to say, O Great One!" answered
Moroosi, "save that, as it was with Ingona so was
it with me."

** And you, Sekukuni?" demanded the king.

" I also am the victim of Sekosini's wiles and his
serpent tongue," answered the chief. "I should never
have joined the conspiracy had he not led me secretly
to believe that when thou wert gone I should be made
king in thy stead. And the prospect dazzled me, for
I believed that I could govern better than thou."

Again the king waved his hand, and the last two
of the conspirators were led away, amid an intense,
breathless, almost ominous silence. For a few minutes
Lobelalatutu sat, with his chin resting upon his chest,
apparently reviewing the situation; then, lifting his
head, he spoke.

"Chiefs of the Makolo," he said, "ye have to-day
heard how Sekosini, the chief witch doctor, and seven
of the most powerful and influential among you secretly
plotted together to destroy me, and, by so doing, to
set you at each other's throats like wolves fighting
over a carcass, and ye have also heard what means
were adopted to render the plot successful; how six
of your number were sent along the Dark Path by
the witchcraft of Sekosini, and how another would
have taken the same journey but for the superior
witchcraft of him who sits here at my side. It was
his power that compelled Sekosini to come hither to-
day and tell the truth; and it is to his power that
'Nkuni will owe his life, for the Healer has promised
to save him and make him whole again. Think ye that
it was mere chance that brought the Healer and his
friend the Mighty Hunter into the land of the Makolo
at the moment when, but for them, Sekosini's plot must
have been crowned with success? I tell you, nay; it
is because it has been ordained that I, whom the Four

Dick's "Magic" 159

spirits of the Winds set upon the throne, should con-
tinue to rule over you! It is useless to plot against
me, who am under the protection of the Spirits; for,
as ye have seen, it can but lead to the detection and
overthrow of the plotters. Yet the eight who have
to-day confessed their guilt before you are not all
equally guilty, and therefore their punishment shall
not be equally severe. Had such a thing as this
happened in the days of M'Bongwele they had all
died lingering and painful deaths; but I have been
taught to temper justice with mercy; therefore, while
ail must be punished for conspiring against me, their
lawful king, their punishment shall be in strict propor-
tion to their guilt. And this is a matter that requires
careful consideration; for while, on the one hand, I
am determined that the punishment shall not be too
severe, I am equally determined that it shall not be
weakly lenient. Go, therefore, now; and to-morrow
I will summon you again to hear sentence pronounced
upon the guilty ones. You are dismissed."

Five minutes later the Great Place was empty, Dick
having followed the king, by the invitation of the latter,
into his house. For several minutes Lobelalatutu re-
mained sunk in a profound reverie, evidently pondering
upon some question of exceeding difficulty; at length,
however, he raised his head and said:

**I give you hearty thanks, O Healer, for the help
which you have afforded me in the discovery of those
who are concerned in the conspiracy that has this day
been revealed. I have for some time suspected that
something of the kind existed, but I dreamed not that
it was so serious, or that so many of my chiefs were
involved in it; nor could I devise a means by which
to discover the truth. It is your wisdom, O Healer,
that found a way; and now I again desire the help
of that wisdom to enable me to apportion to each

i6o Adventures of Dick Maitland

offender a punishment proportionate to his crime. You
heard what each culprit had to say in his defence, and
I doubt not that you saw, as I did, that all were not
equally guilty. I am not troubled about Sekosini,
Mapela, and Amakosa; their guilt is indisputable,
and they die the death ; if they were permitted to
live they would but plot against me again. N'Ampata
also is a dangerous man; he, too, is opposed to my
system of government, and is not to be trusted; it
were better that he should die, than that he should
live and perchance stir up another conspiracy against
me, to be suppressed only at the cost of many more
lives. A chief is not like ordinary men; he wields
power, influence, authority; as he thinks, so do his
followers; and if he were to call his people to arms
against even me, they would obey him, and the country
would thus be involved in a civil war, resulting in much
slaughter. For the sake of my people I must prevent
this; and the only way to do this is to remove the
disaffected. Is not this the truth, O Healer?"

** Undoubtedly," answered Dick. ** It is better that
a few should die than many; and those who foment
rebellion, stir up strife, and incite to acts of violence
and murder are even more guilty than the misguided
individuals who listen to them and act upon their
suggestions.*'

The king nodded his agreement with this expression
of opinion.

** Therefore," said he, **in order to prevent the stir-
ring up of strife and the incitement to bloodshed,
Sekosini, Mapela, Amakosa, and N'Ampata must die.
But as to the others I am not so sure. They have
conspired against me, it is true; they consented to
the slaying of seven of my most trusted chiefs and
counsellors ; and they would have brought anarchy
upon the people ; therefore must they also be punished.

Dick's " Magic" i6i

Yet Ingona, Lambati, Moroosi, and Sekukuni have all
been my friends; they have aided me with valuable
counsel when I have been confronted with problems
of great difficulty and danger; and never until now
have they shown the least sign of disloyalty. They
are valuable servants whom it would be most difficult
if not altogether impossible to replace ; and, above
all, I feel almost certain that in their hearts they are
not disloyal, but that, as Ingona said, they have been
bewitched and led astray by the craft of Sekosini, I
think that, the head Witch Doctor and his evil influence
removed, they would henceforward be, as they were
aforetime, true, loyal subjects ; and I would not destroy
them if they may otherwise be safely dealt with. What
does your wisdom advise in their case, O Healer?"

It was a very difficult and delicate question upon
which to advise, and Dick never, perhaps, felt more
heavily handicapped by his youth and inexperience
than he did at that moment; yet it was evident that
this savage king, himself at a loss how to deal with
the problem, was practically leaving the decision as
to the fate of those four men in his hands, and that,
whatever his advice might be, it would be followed.
For several minutes he anxiously pondered upon the
situation, and then light and inspiration suddenly
came to him. Why should he not again employ his
marvellous hypnotic powers to solve the problem?
He had already done so with perfect success in the
case of Sekosini; why not in that of these others?
He could place them under his influence and then
compel them to disclose the innermost secrets of their
hearts, thus determining beyond a doubt exactly how
deep their feeling of disloyalty went and whether it
went too deep to be capable of being uprooted and
replaced by one of absolute fidelity in the future.
This point determined, he would be able to advise

(0 327) 11

i62 Adventures of Dick Maitland

with absolute confidence, or, better still, enable the
king to decide for himself. Yes, that was undoubtedly
the best thing to be done, and he turned to Lobela-
latutu with a sigh of relief.

** Listen, O Great One!" he said. "You ask for
my advice, and now I am ready to give it. Let the
four chiefs, Ingona, Lambati, Moroosi, and Sekukuni,
be brought hither in charge of the guards which you
have placed over them; then will I lay my magic
upon them so that they shall speak only the plain,
simple truth, even as Sekosini spoke it just now to
his own condemnation; and thus shall ye be able to
judge exactly how far each man may be trusted in
the future. Is my advice good and acceptable?"

** It is very good, and we will act upon it forthwith,"
answered Lobelalatutu ; and, clapping his hands to sum-
mon a messenger, he gave instructions that the four
chiefs should be at once brought into his presence. A
few minutes later they stood before him, each in charge
of two fully armed guards ; and Dick, after allowing

them to stand for a full minute in the oppressive silence
that prevailed, in order that their minds might be suit-
ably attuned to the ordeal which they were to undergo,
suddenly rose to his feet, and, walking up to each man,
gazed steadfastly at him in the peculiar manner which
he had already found so marvellously effective, and at
once brought him under hypnotic control. Then, re-
tiring to the seat which he had just quitted, he power-
fully willed that each man should reply with absolute
truth and candour to all questions asked him, con-
cealing nothing, and laying bare the inmost secrets of
his heart. As he thus concentrated his will upon
theirs he watched each man narrowly, and presently,
seeing that they were all absolutely under his control,
he raised his hand, and said, in a low, impressive
voice : *■ ,

Dick's " Magic" 163

" Listen, O Ingona, Lambati, Moroosi, and Sekukuni!
Lobelatatutu, the king, the Great One, is about to
question you further concerning the conspiracy in which
ye have been engaged with Sekosini, and it is my will
that ye shall answer his every question truthfully and
without reservation or concealment of any kind. Ye
hear?"

**We hear, O Healer, and we will obey," answered
the four, as with one voice.

'*lt is well," said Dick. **Now, O Great One!
proceed with your questions, and be assured that ye
shall learn the whole truth."

"Listen, O Ingona," said the king. **A while ago
ye attempted to explain to me why ye had joined this
conspiracy fomented by Sekosini. Is there aught more
that ye would say in extenuation of your crime?"

** Nothing, O Great One," answered Ingona sadly.
**Our crime is too rank to admit of extenuation. It
is true that there are those among us who think that
even peace may be bought at too high a price, if
that price includes the forgetting by our warriors of
the art of war, and the impossibility of training our
young men to fight. Never since the death of M'Bong-
wele have we been allowed to wash our spears in the
blood of our enemies; and, in the opinion of many,
those enemies are consequently growing overbold and
insolent. But who are we that we should presume to
judge the king's actions, or to say to him : * Ye shall do
this,' or * Ye shall not do that'? To do so is a crime;
and the king who tamely suffers it is too weak to
govern so powerful a nation as the Makolo. Yet I
committed that crime; and now, when it is too late,
when that has been done which may never be undone,
my greatest shame and grief are that I was ever weak
enough to open my ears to the beguilings of that
serpent Sekosini, that I ever permitted him to turn

i64 Adventures of Dick Maitland

my eyes from the straight path and hide from them,
until too late, the dreadful consequences that must
have ensued had Sekosini*s plot succeeded."

**Tis pity that ye saw not all this in time, Ingona,"
said the king reproachfully. ^'Tell me, now — If this
conspiracy had ripened to fruition, would you, O Ingona,
have taken the field and led your warriors against me?'*

**Nay," answered Ingona, '*that would I not. The
time was when, blinded and misled by Sekosini's plaus-
ible arguments and misrepresentations, I might have
done so. But that time is past; even before the arrival
of the Healer I had begun dimly to foresee the evil that
must come to the nation through the plot; and it was
in my mind to take steps for its frustration, but he fore-
stalled me."

"And you, Lambati?" demanded the king.

**Nay, O Great One," answered the chief. **That
I conspired against you, and joined your enemies, is
true; but I know now that my madness was but
momentary, and that, had the time come, I should
have arrayed myself on your side, and against your

enemies."

'* And you, Moroosi?" questioned the king.

**As I answered you a while ago, O Great One, as
it was with Ingona, so was it and is it with me. I
have no gift of fluent speech, but I pray you to recall
what he said, and to believe that I agree with every
word, and would fain say them all again."

'* And you, Sekukuni?" reiterated Lobelalatutu.

**I spoke falsely, O King, when I said that I was
the victim of Sekosini's wiles," answered Sekukuni.
'*I think as he thinks, and answered as I did only in
the hope that my punishment might be mitigated. But
1 tell you, Lobelalatutu, that if yonder white man had
not interfered and saved you by his magic, I would have
fought against you, even to the last man; for I was

Dick's '^ Magic" 165

to have been king in your stead; and I know that
under my rule the Makolo nation would have recovered
all its lost greatness."

The king for a moment looked astounded at this bold
and defiant speech, for he had hitherto regarded Seku-
kuni as one of his most trustworthy chiefs; but he
quickly recovered from his astonishment, and signed
the guards to lead away their prisoners.

CHAPTER XI

The Place of Red Stones

The day was well advanced when at length Dick Mait-
land, weary and hungry, returned to his tent, where he
found Grosvenor indulging in a bath and a change of
clothing after a preliminary exploration of the ruins.
'*You seemed to be engaged busily upon affairs of
state, and not likely to need me, so I trotted off to
take a general look round,'* he explained.

"Well,'* demanded Dick, **and what do you think
of them?"

** Awfully interesting!" answered Grosvenor. ** Won-
derful people they must have been who were responsible
for the building of the city. People of refinement, don't
you know; fond of luxury, intensely artistic, and all that
sort of thing. Some of the carvings — floreated capitals
and, and what-d'ye-call-ems of that sort — are really
splendid. And everything's on such a grand scale,
too; must have been immensely wealthy — those old
johnnies. Vm only sorry now that I'm not an archae-
ologist; for if I were I might write a book about the
place and become famous. But no, that wouldn't do
either, for Professor von Schalckenberg has already
done that, so my book would only be a drug on the
market. But I've taken some rattlin' good photographs
of the place, and I ought to be able to do something
with them later on — eh, what?''

166

The Place of Red Stones 167

"Yes," said Dick, "I dare say you will — if they come
out right. Have you developed them yet?"

** No, not yet," answered Grosvenor. ** Waiting
until it gets dark before I attempt anything of that
sort. But I know that they'll come out all right. Good
light, correct exposure, isochromatic screen and films;
bound to come out right, y* know. Found the place
where the Professor and his pals had been digging.
Must have done a lot of work, those johnnies; no end
of soil turned over where they dug for pavements and
— and — things. And, pray, what have you been about
all day, old chap?"

Dick told him, pretty well in exiensOy how he had
passed the day, even going so far as to describe his
hypnotic experiments — of which he had said nothing
to Grosvenor thus far — with the result that the
Mighty Hunter was rendered almost speechless with
astonishment.

** Hypnotized 'em, eh?" he ejaculated. "Well, Til
be shot! Thought hypnotism was all humbug and
tommy rot, y*know. Collusion, and that sort of thing."

"Yes," agreed Dick, "there is no doubt that much
of it is. But, nevertheless, hypnotism is a perfectly
genuine science, and a tremendously powerful agent
for good, if properly used. There is the well-known
institution at Nancy, for instance, where several almost
miraculous cures have been effected solely by the em-
ployment of hypnotism. Oh yes, hypnotism is genuine
enough, make no mistake about that; and the hypnotic
practitioner can do many wonderful things by its em-
ployment. For instance, do you suppose that old
villain, Sekosini, would have revealed all the details
of his precious plot to-day had I not hypnotized him?"

"No, I don't suppose he would," acknowledged
Grosvenor. * * But — er — I say, old chap, I'm just
wondering whether it was quite playing the game

i68 Adventures of Dick Maitland

doin* the square thing* by the wizard and the other
johnnies to make them give themselves away under
the influence of hypnotism — eh, what?"

"Ah, now," said Dick, "you raise a question of an
exceedingly controversial character. I admit, of course,
that at the first blush, and regarding the matter super-
ficially — if I may say so — it certainly would seem that
I had taken an unfair advantage of those fellows by
compelling them to speak the truth, and so * give them-
selves away ', as you expressively put it. Yet why,
I ask you, should they not be made to do so? Are
evildoers to be permitted to shelter themselves from
the consequences of their misdeeds behind a protective
screen of lies? Is right to be handicapped in its battle
with wrong by what, after all, seems to me an over-
strained if not altogether false sense of justice? There
can be little doubt that skilful criminals have escaped
the just punishment of their crimes simply because they
have refused to incriminate themselves. This, of course,
is all right from the criminal's point of view; but is it
right from the point of view of the community, who
look to the law to protect them from him? My own
view — which I give for whatever it may be worth — is
that the criminal has no right to be protected from
himself. It is the interests of the community and not
of the criminal that have to be considered. If by speak-
ing the truth he furthers the ends of justice he ought
to be allowed to do so, aye, or even compelled, where
compulsion is possible, as in the case of these con-
spirators. Here we have certain men who, for their
own selfish ends, deliberately planned to plunge this
Makolo nation into all the horrors of civil war, and
deluge it with the blood of its own people; also, in
pursuance of their plans they foully and treacherously
took the lives of six of the most important chiefs and
endangered that of a seventh. Were they ' playing the

The Place of Red Stones 169

game *, or, in other words, were they acting openly
and above-board? On the contrary, their acts were
wrapped in secrecy, and were characterized by the
vilest treachery; and they would have been successful
but for my intervention. For it is certain that the facts
could never have been brought to light, had I not com-
pelled Sekosini to speak the truth. That being the
case, how could their nefarious scheme have been de-
feated by our side playing the game, if by * playing
the game ' you mean that we were not to compel, or
even permit them to incriminate themselves? To me
it seems to resolve itself into this — that if one side
insists on playing the game while the other side refuses
to do so, the first must always suffer defeat while the
other triumphs; and where the side which insists on
playing the game represents right and justice, law and
order, and the other side represents evil and criminality,
the result must be the triumph of the lawless over the law-
abiding, which, as Euclid observes, is absurd. Q.E.D."
"Yes," agreed Grosvenor, ** I suppose you are right,
Dick. Put as you put it, it certainly does seem an
absurd and fantastic distortion of our sense of fair-
ness that in the ceaseless struggle between good and
evil the latter should be helped and the former handi-
capped as much as possible; and at all events in the
present case I think you have successfully demonstrated
your right to act as you did- Now, having settled that
point, 1 propose that we have dinner, which seems to
be ready, if one may judge by the looks and actions of
Ramoo Samee."

The sun had barely risen on the following morning
when Dick and Grosvenor received an invitation from
the king to present themselves forthwith in the Great
Place, where the conspirators were to be brought up
for judgment to be pronounced upon them ; and as such

I70 Adventures of Dick Maitland

an invitation was tantamount to a command they hastily
finished the breakfast upon which they were engaged
when the message reached them, ordered their horses,
and rode away toward the appointed spot.

Upon their arrival they found the chiefs who had
been summoned, like themselves, to hear sentence pro-
nounced, already assembling, while the king's body-
guard, motionless as statues, were ranged in a semi-
circle round the throne that had been placed in
position for the accommodation of the king. A stool
stood on either side of the throne, and upon their
arrival Dick and Grosvenor were at once conducted
to these. Almost immediately afterward the king made
his appearance, and approaching the throne seated him-
self thereon, while those present accorded him the royal
salute, Dick and Grosvenor standing and saluting in
military fashion. Then, at a sign from His Majesty,
all who were entitled to sit did so, and the order was
given to lead forward the prisoners.

Conducted by their guards, the eight prisoners, their
faces set and expressionless as masks, ranged them-
selves in line before the king; then, for a full minute,
there ensued a profound and impressive silence, which
was at length broken by Lobelalatutu, who commanded,
in a calm, stern voice :

**Sekosini, chief Witch Doctor, and you Mapela,
Amakosa, N*Ampata, and Sekukuni, chiefs of the
Makolo, stand forward and listen to your doom. Out of
your own mouths have ye been convicted of conspiracy
against me and the peace of the nation. You, Sekosini,
Mapela, N'Ampata, and Amakosa, yesterday boldly and
defiantly acknowledged your guilt, and had nothing to
plead in extenuation of it; but you, Sekukuni, in addi-
tion to being a conspirator, have proved yourself liar
coward; for at your public trial, in the presence of
those now assembled, you declared yourself to be, like

The Place of Red Stones 171

Ingona, Lambata, and Moroosi, the victim of Sekosini's
wiles and serpent tongue; whereas afterward, when you
were brought before me privately, and compelled by
the Healer's magic to speak the truth, you acknow-
ledged that your former statement was false, made only
in the hope of mitigation of your punishment, and that
in your foul, guilty heart you thought as Sekosini, and
would have fought against me to your last man in the
attempt to overthrow and destroy me. To satisfy your
unlawful ambition and greed of gain, you five men, all
holding positions of high authority and trust, would
have set callously tribe against tribe, regiment against
regiment, and man against man, until the people had
fallen and strewed the ground like leaves of autumn
and the land was drenched in their blood. It is enough;
you are a menace and danger to the nation, and you
must die. In the old days of the reign of M'Bongwele
— those days which you were so anxious to restore —
your dying would have been a lingering, long-drawn-
out, excruciating torment; but under the teaching of
those who put me on this throne I have learned to
be merciful, and my sentence is that you be led forth
and hanged by the neck from the bough of the tree
that ended M*Bongwele*s cruel and iniquitous life, and
there left as an example and a warning to all who think
such evil thoughts as yours. Bind them and take them

away."

In an instant the guards who had charge of the
doomed men seized them, and proceeded to bind their
hands behind them with thongs of hide, prior to leading

them away to the place of execution. With one excep-
tion they submitted silently and without protest; Seko-
sini, however, the Witch Doctor, seemed determined
not to go without firing a Parthian shot, for, fixing his
eyes on Dick, he shouted in a high, piercing voice :
** Listen, O ^mlunguX It is through you and your

172 Adventures of Dick Maitland

accursed magpie that I go forth this day to die the death
of shame and ignominy; for, but for you, we should
have kept our secret, our plans would have succeeded,
and ours would have been the triumph. But thoug-h
your magic triumphs now, it shall not always be so.
I too have a potent magic, by means of which mine
eyes can pierce the veil of the future and see many
things that are to be. I see you and the other ^tnlungu
going hence through many dangers to a far country,
where other dangers await you; and, mark you this,
though both go, only one of you shall return! It is
enough; I have said, and I am ready,"

So heavily charged with bitter hate and malignity
were the tones of the witch doctor's voice and the
expression of his burning eyes that, despite his sober
common sense, Dick could scarcely repress a shudder
at the veiled threat conveyed by the man's parting
words; but his attention was quickly diverted by the
voice of the king commanding Ingona, Lambati, and
Moroosi to listen to him while he announced his decision
concerning them.

' ' Attend to my words, O chiefs of the Makolo nation ! "
said Lobelalatutu, raising his voice so that all present
might distinctly hear. ** Ye were present yesterday
when I summoned the eight conspirators before me
to defend themselves; and ye heard Ingona, Lambati,
Moroosi, and Sekukuni declare that there was no treason
in their hearts, but that they had been bewitched and
led astray by Sekosini. I was inclined to believe them,
as doubtless ye all were, and it grieved me that I should
be obliged to condemn to death those who had served
me well in the past, and might perchance, if they spoke
the truth, serve me well again in the future. Yet how
was I to know that their words were in very deed the
truth? I was perplexed and troubled, and in my per-
plexity I sought counsel from my friend the Healer.

The Place of Red Stones 173

And the counsel that he gave me was good. He said ;
' Behold now, O Great One, thou shalt summon those
men again before thee, and by the power of my magic
I will cause them to speak the very truth to thee ; thou
shalt read the inmost secrets of their hearts, and thus
shalt thou gauge the exact measure of their guilt in this
matter.' And as the Healer spoke, so was it; the three
who stand before us had indeed been beguiled and led
astray for a time from their fidelity by the wiles of
Sekosini, but there was no treachery in their hearts;
and they confessed that, had the conspiracy ripened,
they would have arrayed themselves on my side, while
Sekukuni confessed that he was indeed guilty of all that
he had been charged with. Therefore, although they
have sinned in conspiring against me, and must con-
sequently be punished, yet their punishment shall not
be death. My sentence upon you, O Ingona, Lambati,
and Moroosi ! is that ye be banished hence to the farthest
confines of my kingdom, and be stationed at those
points where the neighbouring nations are most ag-
gressive. There ye shall be placed in command of the
troops who guard the land; there ye shall find ample
outlet for your warlike propensities; and there, if ye
will, ye may atone for your fault by rendering me as
good service in the future as ye have rendered in the
past. I have said!"

As the last words passed the king's lips a shout of
irrepressible triumph and rejoicing went up from those
present ; for the three chiefs most intimately concerned
had many friends, and were regarded by all with esteem
and respect almost amounting to veneration. There
is little doubt, therefore, that the king's clemency in
punishing their crime by banishment to points where
their duties would not only be arduous, but also honour-
able, did much to strengthen his position and increase
his popularity.

174 Adventures of Dick Maitland

For several days following' the conspiracy trial nothing*
of moment happened ; the excitement which had been
aroused by the somewhat sensational discovery of the
plot and its sequel gradually subsided, until at length
everybody was once more g"oing about his business as
calmly and quietly as though nothing abnormal had
ever happened. Meanwhile Dick and Grosvenor dili-
gently applied themselves to a systematic exploration
of the ruins and the taking of many photographs ; they
were both highly skilled amateur photographers, and
were also endowed with a considerable amount of artistic
taste. Moreover, Grosvenor had devoted a consider-
able amount of time to the perfecting of himself in the
science of photography in natural colours, and had
provided himself with all the requisite apparatus needed.
Consequently, by the time that they had completed their
labours, they found themselves possessors not only of a
large number of negatives of the highest value from the
archseologist's point of view, but also of several exqui-
sitely beautiful pictures in natural colours of the ruins
as seen under various atmospheric effects, such as early
morning, sunrise, and sunset, the latter being excep-
tionally fine because of the gorgeous hues of the sunsets
which were characteristic of the place.

It was about a week after the trial of the conspirators,
and the execution of the sentences passed upon them,
that King Lobelalatutu sent for them both, and tendered
his hearty thanks for the important service which Dick
had rendered him in unravelling the details of the plot
and bringing the plotters to trial, as well as for saving
the life of the chief, 'Nkuni, who, under the Healer*s
sedulous ministrations, was already up and about again.
The king took some pains to make it perfectly clear
that his gratitude was both deep and absolutely sincere,
even going to the length of proposing that they should
take up their permanent residence in the country, and

The Place of Red Stones 175

promising that if they would do so he would make them
chiefs. The oifer was made in perfect good faith, and
had of course to be treated with the utmost — apparent
—seriousness ; but Dick explained that, highly as they
both appreciated His Majesty's generosity, it was im-
possible for them to avail themselves of it for the simple
reason that they had long ago made other arrange-
ments to which they must adhere.

**Then," said the king, "if ye will not remain with

me and help me by your wisdom to govern this great
people, say now in what way I may reward you for the
great service that ye have done me."

"There is a way," answered Dick. '*Ye may re-
member, O Great One, that on the day when we first
came to you I said that I was a seeker of gold and the
stones that glitter and shine, even such stones as those
that shine red in the necklace which you wear ; and you
said that maybe you could help me in my search. If
you will cause to be shown us the place where such
stones are to be found, and will give us leave to take as
many as we may desire, it will be reward enough."

"Surely if that will content ye it is easily done,"
answered the king. " I will give orders that men
shall go to the place and dig up as many of the stones
as ye desire, and ye shall take them away with you
whither ye will. But that is a small thing, and it
pleases me not that ye shall take so little; therefore,
since your journey hence is to be a far one, I will give
you out of mine own herd forty picked oxen, young and
strong, to draw your wagon and to make good such
loss as may happen through sickness or the attack of
savage beasts ; and I will also give orders that so long
as your way lies within my borders ye shall be supplied
with all that ye may require. Is it enough?"

"It is enough, O King, and we thank you," answered
Dick. "And now, behold, our work here is done; give

176 Adventures of Dick Maitland

us therefore a guide to the place of red stones, and send
the digfgfers after us that we may be gone, for, as you
have said, our journey is long, and we must hasten."

** It shall be even as ye have said," agreed the king.
** When desire ye to leave me?"

"As soon as ye shall be able to provide us with a
guide," answered Dick.

**Then that is even now," answered Lobelalatutu.
** I grieve that ye are leaving me; but since I cannot
persuade you to stay, I say : * Go in peace, and may
the Spirits watch over you that your journey be pros-
perous. The Place of Red Stones is distant one day's
ox trek from here, therefore send forward your wagon
at once with the guide whom I will give you, and ye
shall follow on your horses. I know not whether we
shall meet again, O Healer of Sickness and Mighty
Hunter! but if ye return, the whole Makolo nation
shall give you welcome. Farewell!"

An hour later Dick and Grosvenor, having dispatched
the wagon on ahead, and then gone round to bid fare-
well to the various chiefs, swung themselves into the
saddle and, turning their backs regretfully upon the
village and the ruins of Ophir, cantered off upon two
magnificent horses which the king had, at the last
moment, added to his gift of oxen. The animals were
superb specimens of their kind, jet black without a
white hair upon them, standing about fifteen-two in
height, perfectly shaped, with fine, clean, sinewy legs
not too long, splendid shoulders and haunches, skins
like satin, perfect in temper, courageous as lions,
speedy, easy-paced. They jumped like cats, and were
tough as whipcord, as they found to their great satis-
faction before many days were past; they were, in
fact, perfect specimens of the exceptionally fine breed
of horses peculiar to the Makolo country. Mounted
on these magnificent animals, which seemed to carry

The Place of Red Stones 177

them absolutely without effort, although neither of
them was a light weight, the two riders soon overtook
the slow-moving wagon, and then, carefully noting the
instructions of the guide who was piloting the vehicle,
passed on toward the sea that gleamed softly in the
extreme distance.

A quiet, steady canter of some three hours* duration,
which left their new mounts apparently as fresh as they
had been at the start, brought the horsemen out upon
a long stretch of sandy beach upon which the swell of
the Indian Ocean broke in long lines of diamond spray,
with a never-ceasing roar of deep-toned thunder; and,
with a sigh of relief at the grateful coolness of the sea
breeze after the stifling heat of the plain which they had
just crossed, they gladly swung themselves out of the
saddle and, passing their arms through their bridles,
proceeded to look about them.

The beach upon which they found themselves was
a very ordinary, unpicturesque-looking stretch of brown
sand running practically straight, and also practically
north and south, as far as the eye could see in both
directions. It averaged about one hundred and twenty
yards in width, was very fiat, and on its landward side
was bounded by a bank of red earth ranging from ten
to about fifty feet in height, cut into here and there by
*Mongas*\ through one of which they had descended
from the plain to the level of the sand. The ordinary
high-water mark seemed nowhere to reach within less
than thirty yards of the toe of the bank, but there were
indications — in the shape of little patches of dry and
crumbling seaweed and other ocean debris — that in
stormy weather the breakers occasionally reached to
the foot of the bank and in some places actually under-
mined it. At a distance of about half a mile to seaward
a long line of white water betrayed the position of a reef.

**Um!" exclaimed Grosvenor, after he had allowed

(0 327) 12

178 Adventures of Dick Maitland

his gaze to travel over the prospect for several minutes;
** this is a pretty desolate-looking spot, and no mistake;
not at all the sort of place where you would expect to
find precious stones, is it?"

"Why not?" retorted Dick, laughingly. "Gems are
sometimes found in the most unlikely looking places.
I did not expect the landscape to be distinguished by
any unusual characteristics; did you?"

"Ton my word I don't know," replied Grosvenor;
"but somehow I expected it to look very different from
this. After all, however, what does the beauty or
otherwise of the landscape matter, so long as the rubies
are really here? And I suppose they are here, some-
where, eh? We haven't made a mistake and come out
at the wrong spot, do you think?"

"Well," admitted Dick, "we may not have hit the
precise spot perhaps, but I think we cannot be more
than half a mile from it. Perhaps the quickest way of
finding it will be to search for it. Now, just let me
think for a moment. Those Flying-Fish people started
by searching the beach. The Professor, possessing
superior knowledge to the others, searched the face of
the cliff; and finally, when the precise locality of the
mine had been discovered, they went to work with
pickaxe and shovel and dug their way down to the
level of the * pocket*. I think our best plan would
be to search for that hole, which must still be con-
spicuous enough to admit of identification. Let us
return, by way of the donga, to the top of the cliff, and,
starting from there, ride along close to the cliff edge,
you taking one direction and I the other. We ought
to come across it within half a mile, or a mile at most."

" Right you are, old chappie, come along," answered
Grosvenor, preparing to mount. As, however, he placed
his left foot in the stirrup, and was about to spring
into the saddle, Dick checked him.

The Place of Red Stones 179

"Hold on a moment, Phil," he exclaimed, his eyes
intently searching a certain part of the cliff about a
quarter of a mile distant. **Do you see that notch
in the line of the cliff, over there? From here it looks
something like a * breakdown \ but it may be the very
spot we want to find. Anyhow it is quite worth ex-
amining; and if it should prove not to be the mine we
can at all events reach the top of the cliff by means
of it, and can start our search from there. Come
along. " The next moment the pair were up and
cantering toward the spot.

At the point toward which they were riding the cliff
was quite low, its crest being not more than some
fifteen feet above the level of the beach ; therefore,
although the notch or gap was of but insignificant
width, it reached from top to bottom of the clff face,
and offered a way, of sorts, from the beach to the level
of the plain above; but as the horsemen drew near
they saw that although it was a * breakdown ' or collapse
of the cliff face, it was undoubtedly caused by an arti-
ficial excavation which had had its origin a few yards
inland from the line of the crest. They rode right into
it, and found themselves in a sort of basin-shaped pit,
one side of which having broken away had left the
gap through which they had entered. A single glance
around sufficed to assure them that they had reached
the place of which they were in search, and dismount-
ing they flung their bridles over their horses' heads
to the ground, leaving them to stand, as they had been
trained to do, while they proceeded at once to search
the place for its precious contents.

They had not to look far. It was evident that time
and weather had wrought some slight changes in the
place since it had last been worked, the changes con-
sisting chiefly of falls of earth from the sides, here and
there; but pebbles, singly and in little groups of half a

i8o Adventures of Dick Maitland

dozen or so, were plentifully strewed about the surface
of the soil, and the very first one examined proved to be
exactly similar in character to those of which the king's
necklace was composed. Such, however, was not in-
variably the case, many of the stones which the searchers
picked up turning out to be quite worthless ; neverthe-
less ten minutes sufficed to satisfy the prospectors that
the source of boundless wealth lay practically within
reach of their hands, for during that short period each
of them had secured a dozen rubies of varying size,
from that of a pea up to pebbles as large as a pigeon's
Gggf while Grosvenor had been lucky enough to find a
specimen as large as a duck's Ggg* By the end of an
hour they had more than doubled the amount of their
find, and had filled their jacket pockets as full as it was
prudent to load them; but it was evident that, profitable
as this desultory, haphazard method of search had
proved to be, much better results might be hoped for
from systematic pick -and -shovel work; accordingly
they agreed to suspend further operations until the
arrival of the wagon, and the party of labourers which
had been placed at their disposal by Lobelalatutu ;
they, therefore, scrambled out of the pit and set about
searching for a suitable site for their camp, eventually
pitching upon a spot about a quarter of a mile distant
from the mine.

By the time that the wagon arrived and the tent had
been pitched the day was too far advanced to make it
worth while for work to be started. It was, therefore,
decided to give the workers a good long night's rest
after their wearisome tramp from the king's village,
and an hour after sunset saw the entire party wrapped
in profound sleep.

But with the appearance of the sun above the sea's
rim, on the following morning, everybody was once
more astir; and after an early breakfast a general

The Place of Red Stones iSr

adjournment was made to the mine, where, under Dick
Maitland^s superintendence, a dozen parties of the
Makolo were soon actively engaged with their native
mattocks and shovels in excavating- the soil in search
of the precious stones, one -half of each party being
employed upon the work of digging, while the other
half turned over the excavated soil and extracted from
it all the stones which it happened to contain, Dick
and Grosvenor employing themselves meanwhile in
passing from party to party and sorting out the rubies
from the worthless stones upturned. In this way
considerable progress was made, and by midday a
very handsome pile of rubies had been accumulated,
consisting, however, for the most part of relatively
small stones.

It was not, however, until late in the afternoon that
their real good luck came to them, and then it came
all in a moment. A party of the natives who had for
some time been left to themselves had excavated quite
a little cavern in the side of the pit, and, as might have
been expected, this mode of working ultimately resulted
in a ** cave-in". Fortunately for them, the workers
who were responsible for it detected the signs of the
approaching fall in time to avoid being buried by it;
and when the dust-cloud occasioned by it presently
subsided, and the new face thus laid bare came to be
examined, it was discovered that a veritable ** pocket"
of rubies had been exposed, the stones — every one ot
them of large size and especially fine fire and colour —
being so numerous that almost every shovelful of earth
turned over contained one or more ! They were all,
without exception, so very much finer than the finest
that had hitherto been found that the latter were there
and then incontinently discarded, and a fresh collection
was at once begun, the whole body of natives being
concentrated upon this one spot. So enormously rich

i82 Adventures of Dick Maitland

did this "pocket" prove to be that when at length
the declining sun gave warning that the moment to
cease work had arrived, Dick and Grosvenor were
fain to acknowledge to each other that, eager as the
former was to make his fortune, they had now collected
sufficient rubies to constitute not one but two exceed-
ingly handsome fortunes, and that in any case the
quantity acquired was as great as it would be at all
prudent to cumber themselves with in view of the long
and arduous journey that still lay before them.

CHAPTER XII

Life in the Wild

Dawn of the following morning', which in that latitude
preceded the rising of the sun by but a bare quarter of
an hour, witnessed the awakening of the white men's
camp to a scene of brisk activity ; for the after-dinner
conversation of the previous evening between Dick
and Grosvenor had resulted in their arrival at a de-
cision to make an immediate start on the long trek
which they hoped would end in their discovery of the
mysterious white race, which rumour persistently
asserted to exist somewhere in the far interior of the
great Dark Continent, and the approximate situation
of which they had gleaned from their friend Mitchell,
the Natal sugar planter.

Breakfast was soon over; and while Jantje and
'Nkuku were away, rounding-up the cattle and driving
them in, preparatory to inspanning, Dick and Gros-
venor opened a case and proceeded to reward muni-
ficently the gang of Makolo labourers who had helped
them in the acquisition of the rubiee, with a generous
distribution of beads, brass wire, empty tobacco tins,
lengths of coloured print, and toys, finally dismissing
them happy in the possession of what, to these simple
savages, was wealth beyond anything that they had
ever ventured to dream of. Then, the cattle being
inspanned, the little party headed away inland, in a
north-westerly direction, striking a small stream by

183

i84 Adventures of Dick Maitland

which they outspanned, three hours later. On that
day week they struck a river of some importance
flowing through an exceedingly fertile country abound-
ing in game, and the upward course of this river they
followed for the next eight days, although it led them
somewhat out of their way ; for they found, upon
scouting in the direction which they wished to pursue,
that their direct course would soon carry them into
an arid, waterless district, infested, moreover, by tsetse
fly, to enter which would infallibly result in a serious
loss of cattle. And the preservation of their cattle was
now, or very soon would be, a matter of vital impor-
tance to them.

At length the two leaders of the expedition, industri-
ously scouting daily toward the direction in which they
wished to travel, found that they had reached a point
where it would be safe for them to leave the river and
strike away toward the west and north-west, and they
immediately did so, the country in that direction being
free from fly, and consisting of wide-rolling plateaux,
rising one beyond another, somewhat like broad,
shallow steps, with a solitary, lofty hill rising in the
extreme distance. This district was well watered by
a number of tiny rivulets, and was clothed with rich
young grass thickly dotted with clumps of mimosa,
palmetto, and other tropical growth, amid which game
of various kinds could be seen moving, including a
small herd of giraffes.

This was much too good an opportunity to be missed.
The friends therefore, after taking careful note of the
spot where the immense animals were feeding, returned
to the wagon and, having provided themselves with
an abundant supply of ammunition, changed their
saddles from the horses that they had hitherto been
riding to the two which had been presented to them by
King Lobelatutu, and cantered oflf, after giving Mafuta

Life in the Wild 185

— whom they left in charge of the wagon and stock —
strict injunctions to make for a certain indicated spot,
and there outspan and await them.

The light breeze which was blowing happened to be
favourable to their approach, and they had arrived
within a hundred yards of the large clump of mimosa
in which they had last seen the giraffes feeding, when
a heavy swishing and crashing of branches caused
them to draw rein; and the next moment an enormous
elephant emerged from the thicket, and stood looking
about him as he flourished a great branch of foliage
in his trunk, with which he seemed to be keeping the
flies at bay. For a few seconds he seemed to be un-
aware of the presence of the hunters, and stood angrily
switching the branch about his head and back, grunt-
ing and grumbling to himself, as though he was not
in precisely the best of tempers. He was an immense
tusker, by far the biggest that the travellers had thus
far encountered, and that he was the hero of many
battles seemed evident, for both his tusks were broken
off short, leaving only about a foot of jagged ivory
protruding from each jaw. The first impulse of the
two hunters was to swing themselves gently out of
their saddles and take a shot at him, for the huge
beast was standing in a very favourable position, nearly
broadside on; but Grosvenor, happening to notice the
broken tusks, settled back into his seat again, mur-
muring, as he did so :

** Let's leave the poor beggar alone, Dick; he's not
worth shooting. See his tusks?"

It was practically impossible for the animal to have
heard Grosvenor's voice, for he purposely spoke in
low tones, in order to avoid attracting the elephant's
attention; yet as the words were spoken the huge
brute faced sharply round toward the two horsemen,
and stood attentively regarding them for a moment.

i86 Adventures of Dick Maitland

Then, tossing aside the branch with which he had been
whisking- himself, he threw up his trunk, and, trumpet-
ing savagely, charged straight toward them.

* * No use waiting ; let*s scatter ! " shouted Gros-
venor, and, obedient to a touch of the heel and bridle,
the two magnificent horses which the friends bestrode
swerved round as though upon pivots, and dashed off
in a direction at right angles to each other. For an
instant the great beast seemed disconcerted at this
manoeuvre, and appeared unable to make up his mind
which enemy he would pursue, first following one of
them for a yard or two, and then turning in pursuit of
the other; but presently it seemed to dawn upon him
that he could not possibly hope to overtake both, and
his final choice was Grosvenor, whom he settled down
to chase in grim earnest, his long trunk outstretched
to its utmost limit, his immense ears flapping furiously,
and his small eyes sombre with concentrated hatred.
As soon as Dick saw that the brute had definitely
marked down Grosvenor as his prey he turned his
bridle and rode in a direction parallel with that which
was being followed by pursued and pursuer, and began
to shout loudly, in the hope of again causing the
elephant to hesitate, even if he could not altogether
divert him from his pursuit of Grosvenor; but the ruse
was vain, the monster glanced viciously once in Dick's
direction, but refused to be diverted from his fell
purpose.

At the beginning of this singular race there had not
been the slightest doubt in Dick's mind as to its
ultimate result; he felt absolutely confident that,
suberbly mounted as they were, they would be able
to gallop away from their pursuer and elude him with
the utmost ease; but now, to his consternation, he
began to realize that, so far at least as Grosvenor was
concerned, escape was distinctly doubtful, unless some-

Life in the Wild 187

thing could be done toward altering the existing con-
ditions. For, strong and speedy as were the horses,
they were frightfully handicapped in the race by the
grass, which at this particular spot happened to be un-
usually long — reaching as high as the horses' shoulders
— tough, and tangled, rendering it exceedingly difficult
for them to force a passage through it, while to the
huge bulk and momentum of the elephant it seemed to
offer no obstacle at all. The great beast was rapidly
gaining upon Grosvenor, and as rapidly forging ahead
of Dick, upon whom it began to dawn that, unless
something were speedily done to prevent it, a tragedy
must inevitably ensue.

He looked anxiously about him, and saw that, at a
distance of about a mile, the patch of long rank grass
came to an end and was succeeded by short smooth
turf, over which the going would be everything that
could be desired; but it was much too distant to be
of any service in the present emergency. For the ele-
phant was gaining at every stride and must inevitably
overtake the fugitive long before he could reach it,
while the horses were already beginning to show signs
of distress as they plunged panting through the ob-
structing tangle, in the midst of which they were
constantly stumbling as their outflung feet encountered,
and were caught in, some especially tough patch of the
knotted vegetation.

What was to be done? Something; and that right

quickly if As the thought was flashing through

Dick's brain he saw his friend's horse stumble heavily,
make a desperate effort to recover himself, and finally
roll over and disappear completely with his rider in
the dense ocean of greenish -grey vegetation, while
the elephant, a bare fifty yards in the rear, threw up
his outstretched trunk and trumpeted a loud blast of
savage exultation. There was now but one thing to

i88 Adventures of Dick Maitland

be done, and the only question in Dick's mind was
whether there was time enough left and, excited as
he was, whether he had the necessary steadiness of
hand to do it. But it must be attempted, at any
rate, so, unslinging his rifle, he set it at full cock
as he galloped, held it pistol-wise in his hand, pointed
it full at the huge bulk of the elephant, and pulled
the trigger. The jar of the recoil nearly dislocated
his elbow, and for a fraction of a second he feared
that all was lost. But even as the fear gripped his
heart, turning him sick and faint, the enormous beast
suddenly halted, swayed unsteadily for a moment on
his great pillar- like legs, and then collapsed in a
heap. As he did so Dick, to his intense relief, saw
the prostrate horse and rider scramble to their feet
almost within arm's length of the fallen monster.

** Mount and ride, you duffer!" shrieked Dick, as
he saw Grosvenor stand, apparently stupefied, staring
at the prostrate beast; **he may be only stunned; and
if he gets up again nothing can save you. Or, better
still, empty your magazine into his skull as he lies."

'* There is no need, my dear chap," answered Gros-
venor calmly; **it would only be a sinful waste of
valuable cartridges. The brute is as dead as mutton;
your bullet caught him behind the ear all right, and
is no doubt deeply embedded in his brain. It was a
splendid shot, especially considering that it was fired
from the saddle, and at full gallop too. I congratulate
you on it, old man. And, before I forget it, let me
thank you for saving my life. If you had not fired as
promptly as you did he would have had me, sure as
fate, and I should have been a goner — eh, what?"

Although Grosvenor spoke in a tone of light raillery
it but thinly disguised the depth of feeling that stirred
him, as Dick fully realized when he pulled up alongside
his friend and they exchanged hand-grips. Lightly as

Life in the Wild 189

he spoke of the incident, Phil knew right well that he
was on the very edge of disaster at the moment that
Dick pulled trigger, and though he would fain have
treated the whole adventure as a joke he was none the
less grateful to Dick for his timely intervention, and
the pressure of his hand was quite as eloquent as much
outpouring of words.

**By Jove," exclaimed Dick, as he swung out of his
saddle and loosened the girths, to enable his horse the
more readily to recover his wind, "what a monster!
He is far and away the biggest elephant that I have
ever seen; and if his tusks had been unbroken they
would have been a prize worth having, if only as
curiosities. As it is, I don't think it will be worth
while to waste time in cutting out the stumps; do you?
Poor beggar, he must have been suffering pretty badly
from toothache; see how tremendously that left gum
is swollen. That means an abscess at the root of the
tusk that must have been dreadfully painful. No
wonder that he was in such a dickens of a bad temper !
Well, he is of no value to us, except as a contribution
to our larder, so we may as well be going. We will
mark the spot where he lies, and send Mafuta and
Jantje for one of his feet, which will furnish us with
an epicurean dinner to-night. And now I suppose we
may as well go and look for the wagon, for of course
the giraffes cleared out directly the rumpus began."

They camped that night in the midst of a wide
plateau dotted here and there with low kopjes of out-
cropping granite, and clothed for the most part with
melkboom interspersed with patches of low thornbush
and sun-dried grass; and, from the fact that they had
met with no water since noon, they greeted with much
satisfaction the discovery of a shallow waterhole of
some two acres in extent, within about half a mile
of which they outspanned for the night, an hour before

I90 Adventures of Dick Maitland

sunset. They did not care to approach nearer to the
water than this, for upon inspecting the place they be-
came aware, from the spoor in the mud all round the
margin, that it was the favourite if not the only drinking
place for all the animals in the neighbourhood, and past
experienced had taught them that the nocturnal sounds
emanating from such a spot were the reverse of favour-
able to sleep. Moreover, they had detected among the
most recent spoor that of lions ; and for the sake of
their cattle they preferred to keep at a respectful dis-
tance from a place frequented by such formidable
animals.

At one spot this miniature lake was bordered by a
patch of reeds of considerable extent, which looked as
though it might harbour a few wild duck; therefore, as
soon as the wagon was outspanned, the two friends took
their shot guns and a couple of dogs which had mani-
fested some talent at retrieving, and made their way
toward the reeds, warning Jantje to be careful to water
the cattle as far as possible from the spot toward which
they were making. Leo, the lion cub, by this time
very nearly half-grown, would fain have accompanied
the sportsmen, for he had developed an extraordinary
attachment to both of his white masters. He loved
nothing better than to accompany them on their
rambles, and was as obedient as any of the dogs,
with whom he was on the best of terms; but it was
deemed best on this occasion that he should be taken
to water on a leash, with the cattle, and return with
them to the wagon. He was therefore left behind,
much to his disgust.

Choosing what seemed to be advantageous positions,
the two sportsmen, each accompanied by a dog, care-
fully ambushed themselves among the reeds at a
distance of about a hundred yards from each other and,
crouching low, patiently awaited the course of events.

Life in the Wild 191

They had not long to wait for proof of the soundness
of their judg-ment, for they had not been in position
more than half an hour — by which time the sun, magni-
fied to twice his size by the evening vapours through
which he glowed, palpitating like a ball of white-hot
steel, hung upon the very edge of the horizon — when
a whirring of wings warned them to be on the alert,
and a moment later a flock of some fifty teal, which
must have been feeding on some far-off marsh during
the day, settled down upon the surface of the water,
with much splashing and loud quacks of satisfaction
at having once more reached what they doubtless
believed to be a haven of safety. But if they really
entertained any such belief they were most deplorably
mistaken, for that fate which rules the destiny of wild
duck ordained that they should settle on the precise
patch of water that was fully commanded by both
sportsmen, and some three seconds later both guns
spoke practically at the same instant, and up went the
teal again with a great whir of wings and loud cries
of consternation, leaving behind them a round dozen
or more of dead and wounded floating upon the rippled
surface of the water.

By the time that the whole of the "bag" had been
retrieved the dusk was deepening into darkness, and
star after star was twinkling into view from the vast,
cloudless, purple dome above. The two friends, there-
fore, scrambled forth from their hiding places and,
perfectly satisfied with themselves and all things else,
prepared to make their way back to the wagon.

They had not progressed above two dozen paces
beyond the margin of the reeds, however, when Gros-
venor, who was leading the way along a narrow track
through the coarse grass, uttered a sharp ejaculation,
and halted suddenly in his tracks, the next moment
stamping violently on something just before him.

192 Adventures of Dick Maitland

**What is the matter, old chap?" demanded Dick,
stepping quickly to his friend's side.

"Snake!" replied Grosvenor briefly, and in a rather
tremulous tone of voice; *'trod on him — unintentionally
of course — and the beggar turned ,^nd bit me. Take
that — and that — and that, you brute "

"Where is the thing?" demanded Dick anxiously.

"There," responded Grosvenor, pointing to a writh-
ing, twisting something that squirmed on the grass as
he ground the heel of his heavy boot on it.

"Take your foot away, man, and let me have a look
at it," commanded Dick; and as the other did as he
was ordered Maitland bent down and directed a quick,
keen glance at the reptile, about six inches of whose
body was crushed almost to a jelly. Then, quickly
pinning the flat, heart-shaped head to the ground with
the muzzle of his gun, he pulled the trigger, and thus
effectually put an end to the creature's existence. With
the barrel of his weapon he deftly whisked the still
writhing body half a dozen yards away into the long
, and then turned sharply to his friend.

"Sit down, old chap, quick," he said, "and show
me where you were bitten."

Somewhat startled by his companion's abrupt manner,
Grosvenor seated himself on the ground and drew up
his left trouser leg, pulled down his sock, and revealed
two small punctures close together in the lower part
of the calf of the leg, barely visible in the fast-decreas-
ing light.

"I see," ejaculated Dick, fumbling in his waistcoat
pocket as he spoke. "Take your pocket handkerchief,
quick; tie it round your leg below the knee, and with
the barrel of your revolver twist it as tight as you
possibly can, tourniquet fashion, so as to stop the
passage of the blood into your body. Now," as he
drew forth and opened a penknife, the blade of which

Life in the Wild 193

he made a point of always keeping- razor-keen, " I
am going to hurt you a little bit, so set your teeth
and bear it, old man."

*' All right; go ahead," responded Grosvenor.
"Was the brute venomous, then?"

** Can't say," responded Dick evasively, as he quickly
slashed the flesh across and across over the two punc-
tures; '*but we are not taking- any more chances
to-day, my boy."

The blood, instead of spurting from the knife
wounds, oozed forth thick and sluggishly; whereupon
Dick, without a second's hesitation, applied his lips
to the gashes, which were close together, and sucked
strongly for about a quarter of an hour, spitting out
the blood which g-radually began to flow a little more
freely. Finally, when the flow had ceased, he g-roped
in his pocket and produced a small case containing- a
stick of lunar caustic ; then from another pocket he drew
forth a box of matches, which he handed to Grosvenor.

"I'll relieve you of this," he said, laying his hand
upon the revolver, the barrel of which Phil had twisted
in the handkerchief and had been holding in place all
this while, *'and you can start striking matches, so
that I may see what I am doing." Then, giving the
revolver an extra twist or two, he pulled out his own
handkerchief and deftly secured the weapon in place,
after which he proceeded, by the light of the matches
which Grosvenor struck, one after the other, carefully
and thoroughly to cauterize the wounds.

" There," he remarked cheerfully, with a sigh of
relief as he finished his task, **that is as much as
we can do here. The next thing is to get you back
to the camp as soon as possible."

"All right," assented Grosvenor. "But," he added,
as he attempted to rise, "I'm afraid I shall have to
get you to help me, old chap ; I couldn't possibly "

(C327) 13

194 Adventures of Dick Maitland

"Of course you couldn't," responded Dick, "and
I don*t mean that you shall try. Just sit where you
are for a little while longer, and leave me to arrange
things." Therewith he drew a whistle from the pocket
of his hunting shirt, and upon it blew three pierc-
ing blasts in quick succession that, in the breath-
less stillness of the night, might have been heard
at least a mile away. He repeated the signal at brief
intervals for about ten minutes, when answering shouts
were heard, whereupon he drew three or four matches
from the box, bunched them together, ignited them,
and held the tiny torch aloft to guide Mafuta and
Jantje, whose voices he recognized. A minute later
they both arrived upon the scene, anxious to know
what was amiss, and received Dick's hurried explana-
tion with many AtCs! of surprise and apprehension.
Then, in obedience to his brief but concise instruction,
they hurried away again at a run, to return with very
commendable celerity, bearing Grosvenor's hammock
and a long pole, hacked from the nearest tree they
could find. The hammock having been spread upon
the ground, the patient was, under Dick's anxious
supervision, laid very carefully upon it, so that there
might be as little movement of his body as possible;
and finally, the hammock having been securely lashed
to the pole, the whole was raised upon the shoulders of
the two blacks and by them borne to the camp. Ar-
rived there, the hammock was, still with the utmost
gentleness and care, slung inside the tent, the lamp
was lighted, and Dick proceeded to examine his
patient afresh.

By this time the wounded limb had become terribly
swollen, and Grosvenor complained of severe pain
about the injured region. This, of course, was not to
be wondered at, considering the rather heroic treat-
ment to which the leg had been subjected, and Dick

Life in the Wild 195

was not very greatly concerned about it. But what
caused him to look very grave was the fact that his
patient also complained of feeling cold, and mani-
fested symptoms of approaching delirium, while his
whole body was now beginning to be convulsed,
at rapidly shortening intervals, by spasms of violent
and uncontrollable twitching. Without wasting a mo-
ment Dick now had recourse to alcohol, freely dosing
his patient with neat brandy, in the hope of inducing
a condition of intoxication — for he knew that if he
could succeed in this the excess of alcohol in the
system would neutralize the venom, and his patient
would be saved. But it was not until he had ad-
ministered nearly a quart of the spirit that the desired
symptoms began to appear ; and it was long past mid-
night before the twitching convulsions entirely ceased
and the patient sank into a deathlike sleep; by this
time also the swelling of the limb was perceptibly sub-
siding; and when at length Dick turned down the lamp
and disposed himself to take such rest as he might be
able to snatch in a folding chair by the side of his
friend's hammock, he had the satisfaction of knowing
that the crisis was past and Phil would live.

Up to this moment the young doctor had been far too
busy and altogether too deeply preoccupied in attending
upon his patient to give any attention to, or indeed be
more than vaguely aware of, what was happening out-
side the tent, although there certainly had been mo-
ments when sounds of a more than usually alarming
character had reached his ears so distinctly and ob-
trusively as partially to distract his attention for the
fraction of a second or so ; but now that Grosvenor
was asleep and safe, and Dick began to feel that he
also would be the better for a little rest, outside sounds
began to obtrude themselves upon him with a force and
persistency that would not be denied, and he awoke

10 Adventures of Dick Maitland

to a consciousness of the fact that something quite
out of his ordinary experience was happening.

At first he was disposed to attribute the babel of
sound that reached his ears to the fact that the party
were outspanned in close — almost too close — proximity
to the only water that, so far as he knew, existed for
many miles round, and which was consequently the
regular drinking place for every living creature in the
neighbourhood, as he and his chum had already ascer-
tained. Indeed the incessant bellowing, snorting, trum-
peting, roaring, splashing, and squealing that, slightly
mellowed by distance, penetrated to the interior of the
tent, was quite enough to justify such an idea. But
he had scarcely settled himself in his chair beside
Grosvenor*s hammock, and closed his eyes in the

hope of wooing sleep to them, than he became aware
of other and nearer sounds, dominating the first, the

sound of crackling flames, frequent low, muttered
ejaculations, the occasional soft thud and swish of
feet running through long grass, followed by a shout
or two which was almost invariably responded to by
a low, angry snarl, while the clashing of horns, the
rattling of the trek chain, the almost continuous low-
ing and moaning of the oxen, the stamping of the
horses tethered to the wagon, and the whining of the
dogs, indicated the extreme restlessness and uneasi-
ness of the animals. The disturbance was so much
greater than usual that Dick finally felt called upon
to investigate. So, rising from his chair, he cast a
quick glance at his patient which assured him that
all was well there, and then, raising the flap of the
tent, stepped forth into the open air.

The first sight that greeted him was that of about
a dozen fires arranged in a circle round about the
tiny camp, in the ruddy-yellow, flickering glare of
which he saw Mafuta, Jantje, and 'Nkuku flitting

Life in the Wild 197

hither and thither, tending the fires and feeding them
from an enormous stack of thorns and branches piled
up near the wagon, while Ramoo Samee, the Indian
groom, stood with the horses, talking to them, caress-
ing them, and soothing their excitement by every
means in his power. Most of the oxen, instead of
lying down, were on their feet, their tails swishing
agitatedly from side to side, their heads turning
quickly this way and that, their ears twitching, their
nostrils distended, sniffing the air, their hoofs stamp-
ing the earth impatiently, while their eyes glowed
and shone in the light of the fires, and ever and anon
one or another of them would throw up his head and
give vent to a low, moaning bellow, which told, as
eloquently as words, their state of terror. As for the
dogs, they were all huddled together beneath the
wagon, shivering with fear, their tails between their
legs, and their lips drawn back, revealing their fangs,
in a sort of snarling grin. Leo was the only animal
who did not seem very greatly perturbed, but even
he was awake, and lay crouching at the extreme end
of his tether, his eyes lambently aglow, and his tail
softly beating the earth now and then.

*' Ho there, Mafuta!" called Dick, as he stood taking
in the scene and admiring the generally romantic effect
of it all — the glowing fires, the wavering columns of
smoke, the uneasy animals, the flitting figures, the
great bulk of the wagon with its white canvas tent
aglow with the firelight, and the mellow stars raining
down their soft radiance; ''what is all the disturb-
ance about?"

** Lions, baas," answered the Kafir as he paused
for a moment, his arms filled with a great bundle of
branches which he was carrying to the fires, and his
great bronze body shining with perspiration; **we
are beset by them; and if the fires were allowed to

igs Adventures of Dick Maitland

die down they would rush In upon us, and kill or
stampede the whole of the oxen and horses,
there — and there — and there," he added, pointing into
the darkness beyond the glow of the fires.

Dick looked, but could at first see nothing, his eyes
as yet being dazzled by the light of the flames, but
presently, looking in the direction toward which Mafuta
pointed, he caught sight of first one pair of greenish-
yellow orbs, and then another, and another, gleaming
out of the darkness, until finally he counted no less
than seven pairs of eyes, all intently staring inward.
By the flitting to and fro of some of these pairs of
eyes Dick perceived that certain of the lions were
regularly making the circuit of the camp, some in
one direction, some in the other, apparently searching
for an unguarded spot at which they might venture
to make a dash; but there were three pairs of eyes
that remained stationary, as though their owners were
patiently awaiting a signal of some sort. These, Dick
decided, were the most dangerous of their foes, and at
the same time the most easy to deal with, because of
their immovability; so, returning to the tent he first
cast a quick glance at the still soundly sleeping form
of Grosvenor. Then he took up his bandolier, threw it
over his shoulder and adjusted it In position, seized
his rifle and satisfied himself that it was fully loaded,
and again made his way outside.

It took a minute or two for his eyes again to adjust
themselves to the peculiar conditions of the light, but
presently he again caught sight of one of the motionless
pairs of eyes, and, sinking upon one knee, he raised his
rifle to his shoulder, carefully brought Its two sights
accurately In line with a point midway between the
two glowing orbs, and pressed the trigger. The sharp,
whip-like crack of the weapon was answered by several
low, snarling growls, and a swishing of the grass

Life in the Wild 199

suggestive of several heavy bodies bounding away-
through it, while the stationary and moving pairs of
eyes vanished, as if by magic; and a minute or two
later some four or five of the oxen lay down where
they were tethered to the trek chain, with a sigh of
obvious relief.

"They are gone, baas," remarked Mafuta, as he
again passed with more fuel; **but we must keep up
the fires; for they are almost certain to come back
again. They are young lions who have been driven
away from the pool, and not allowed to hunt there
by the old ones, and they are hungry. Yes, they
will come back again ; and you will perhaps have to
kill two or three more before they will go away and
leave us alone."

'*Do you think, then, that I got the fellow I fired
at?" demanded Dick.

"Yes, baas," answered Mafuta with confidence. " I
heard the bullet strike. You will find the beast, dead,
out there, when the day breaks. But see, yonder,
baas, they are slinking back; there is one pair of eyes
over there, and I saw another in that direction — yes,
there they are again. Ah ! now they are gone — but,
look there, baas, see you those two pairs? No, no, do
not shoot yet ; wait until they come quite close ; then —
shoot and kill. Where is that schelm, Jantje, and
why is he not feeding the fires? If they are not kept
up we shall yet lose half our oxen!"

CHAPTER XIII

The Mysterious White Race

Two more lions fell to Dick*s rifle that night, before the
brutes were finally scared out of their projected attack
upon the camp; but it was not until the first signs of
dawn were paling the eastern sky, and all the multi-
tudinous sounds in the neighbourhood of the water-
hole had long subsided into complete silence, that the
watchers felt at liberty to cease their vigil and snatch
an hour or two of much-needed rest. Meanwhile, Gros-
venor remained completely sunk in the lethargic sleep
which had resulted from the saturation of his system
with alcohol.

Although the blacks had been up and working hard
all night, they were astir again very soon after sun-
rise; and the first thing they did was to go out
and bring into camp the carcasses of the three dead
lions, in order that Dick's eyes might be gladdened
by the sight of them upon his emergence from the
tent. Then, while Jantje and 'Nkuku loosed the oxen
and drove them to the waterhole, Ramoo Samee pre-
pared a couple of cups of strong black coffee, which
Mafuta carried into the tent; and as the Kafir looped
back the flaps of the entrance, giving admission to a
flood of brilliant sunlight and a brisk gush of cool,
invigorating air, Dick stirred uneasily in his hammock,
sat up, rubbed his eyes, and exclaimed, sleepily:

200

The Mysterious White Race 201

" Hillo, Mafuta, surely it is not yet time to turn out,
is it? I don't seem to have been asleep more than
half a minute." Then his glance fell upon Grosvenor's
hammock, and memory instantly returned to him ; he
sprang- to his feet and laid his finger upon his patient'5
pulse, and as he did so Grosvenor uttered a low groan
and, opening his eyes, looked dazedly up into the eyes
of the friend who bent over him.

** Hullo, Dick," he murmured, **that you? I say,
old chap," endeavouring to rise, "what the dickens
is the matter with me? I feel like a — a— boiled owl;
my head is aching as though it would split, and my
mouth is as dry as a limekiln. And— look here, old
man, why are you holding me down in my hammock
like this? Am I not to get up to-day, eh, or "

** Certainly not, at least not just yet," answered
Dick firmly. **And never mind about your head, or
your mouth; what does your leg feel like? Here, just
let me have a look at it." And, gently lifting the
limb and pushing up the leg of the trousers, in which
Grosvenor had lain all night, he laid bare the injury.
The swelling, although it had not quite disappeared,
had subsided so greatly that the limb had once more
come to bear some semblance to a human leg, and
the livid purple tint had almost faded out, while the
cauterized wounds were perfectly dry and healthy in
appearance. But when Dick began to gently pinch and
prod the injured member, and to ask: **Does that hurt
at all?" it became evident that there was a distinct
numbness in the limb, as far up as the knee. But
this did not very greatly distress Dick; all the signs
were indicative of the fact that the venom in the blood
had been effectually neutralized ; and as for the numb-
ness, that would probably pass off in the course of the
day.

"Well, Doctor," said Grosvenor whimsically, "what

202 Adventures of Dick Maitland

is your verdict — favourable, or otherwise? I remember
now that I was bitten by a beastly snake, last night,
and that you did several things to me that made me
feel horribly queer, but I don*t quite remember how I
got to the tent. Was the brute venomous?"

** About as venomous as it could well be," answered
Dick. ** But you need have no fear," he added, seeing
a look of anxiety spring into his patient's eyes; **the
danger is quite over; now all that we have to think
about is how to cure that headache of yours. And
here, just in the nick of time, Mafuta has brought us
our coffee. Take your cup and drink it at once;
and if in the course of the next half-hour you feel no
better, I will mix you a draught. Stop a moment;
just look me straight in the eye; yes, that is right;
now drink your coffee; it will completely cure your
headache, and you will immediately fall asleep, waking
again in time for breakfast."

Grosvenor obediently took the cup, drained it, and
lay back on his pillow.

** Thanks, old chap," he murmured; ** that's good;
I — I — feel " and was asleep.

''That's all right," murmured Dick meditatively, as
his eyes rested upon the other's placid countenance.
"Why did not I remember to try that kind of thing
last night! It might have helped matters a good
deal. Ah well! I'll not forget next time. Now,
Mafuta," he continued, turning to the Kafir; "what
about the lions? How many did I kill last night?"

"Three, baas," answered Mafuta; "that is to say,
two lions and one lioness, all full-grown, but quite
young, and in grand condition, their teeth and claws

quite perfect."

"Is that so?" queried Dick. "Then I suppose you
have been out to have a look at them?"

"Yes, baas," answered the black; "we went out

The Mysterious White Race 203

and brought them in. They are now just outside the
tent."

"Very well," said Dick, draining his coffee. "I
will have a look at them. And — what about my
bath? I suppose there is no chance of one this mor-
ning, eh?"

** Ramoo Samee and I have each brought two
buckets of water from the hole, and the Inkose's
bath is ready for him when he will," answered
Mafuta.

Grosvenor^s sleep appeared to have been extraor-
dinarily beneficial, for when he awoke to the rattle of
crockery as Mafuta busied himself in the arrangement
of the breakfast table, not only was he absolutely free
from headache, and all the other unpleasant symp-
toms of which he had complained two hours earlier,
but his general condition was also greatly improved,
the swelling of the injured limb had subsided, the
flesh had recovered its natural colour, the numb feeling
had almost disappeared, and now all that remained to
remind him of his disagreeable and perilous adventure
of the previous night was the smarting and burning
sensation of the cauterized wound itself, which he en-
dured with stoical composure, and indeed laughed at
as a trifle not worth wasting words about. But he
was fully alive to the frightful nature of the peril from
which he had so narrowly escaped, and was so earnest
and profuse in his thanks to Dick for having twice
saved his life in the course of a few hours that at
length the young medico laughingly threatened to
gag him if he did not instantly change the topic of
conversation. One of the best signs of his progress
towards complete recovery, perhaps, was the voracious
appetite which he developed when breakfast was placed
upon the table. But it was not until late in the after-
noon that Dick allowed him to rise from his hammock ;

204 Adventures of Dick Maitland

then it was only permitted in order that the camp might
be moved somewhat farther from the waterhole, with
the object of avoiding a recurrence of the annoyances
of the preceding night.

By the following morning Grosvenor was practically
well again, and, with his injured leg well protected by
a bandage, was once more able to mount a horse ; the
march was therefore resumed, and came to an unad-
venturous end in a small valley, watered by a tiny
brook, as the sun was sinking beneath the western
horizon. Thenceforward their progress was steady,
averaging about twenty miles a day, for six days a
week, Sunday being always observed as a rest day,
whenever possible, primarily for the sake of the cattle,
it must be confessed, which it was found required at
least one day's rest in every seven upon such a pro-
longed journey as that upon which they were now
engaged. The journey was not altogether devoid of
adventure, by any means; for upon one occasion they
killed no less than five of their oxen through over-
work during a hurried flight from the neighbourhood
of a devastating grass fire; they lost three more at
one fell swoop while crossing a flooded river; six
succumbed to snake bites; four fell a prey to lions;
and seven died of sickness believed to have been in-
duced by the eating of some poisonous plant. But,
after all, these were merely the ordinary accidents in-
cidental to travel in the African wilderness, and would
need too much space to be recorded in detail. The
natives whom they encountered from time to time
during their progress were by no means uniformly
friendly, but tact and firmness, coupled with an occa-
sional demonstration of the terribly destructive qualities
of their firearms, and a judicious distribution of presents
among the chiefs, secured them from actual molestation,
though there were times when it seemed to be, figura-

The Mysterious White Race 205

lively speaking, a toss-up, whether they would or
would not have to choose between being" turned back
or ** wiped out ".

Indeed now, when they had been continuously jour-
neying for nearly three months since they had turned
their backs upon the friendly Makolo nation, and
were daily receiving fresh evidence that they were draw-
ing very near to the goal of their long pilgrimage,
it was by the merest chance, the most extraordinary
caprice of the king into whose country they had pene-
trated, that they were permitted to live and accorded
freedom to pursue their journey unmolested. For the
savages among whom they now found themselves
seemed to be possessed of an extraordinarily virulent
animus, or prejudice — call it which you will — against
whiteskins, due, as the travellers eventually discovered,
to the fact that a nation of whites inhabited the adjacent
territory, between whom and the blacks, who sur-
rounded them on all sides, an implacable enmity had
existed as far back as history or even legend extended.
From whence those white people had come, or how
long they had inhabited the land of which they held
such stubborn possession, there was no record to tell;
but the grievance of the blacks seemed to consist in
the fact that the interlopers — as they chose to regard
them — occupied the whole of a peculiarly rich and
fertile tract of country from which, though they were
relatively few in number, they resolutely refused to
be dislodged; while the surrounding territory, occupied
by the blacks, was comparatively poor, sterile, and ill-
watered, affording an ever more scanty subsistence to
the steadily growing population. Also there was a
widespread belief, amounting to conviction among the
blacks, that their white neighbours were wont to punish
such attempts as were made from time to time to drive
them out, by putting all prisoners to death in a variety

2o6 Adventures of Dick Maitland

of peculiarly hideous forms — although it was by no
means clear how this belief arose, since no prisoners
ever returned to throw any light upon the subject.

It is not, perhaps, greatly to be wondered at if, under
such circumstances, the blacks had gradually come to
regard the possessor of a white skin as the incarnation
of everything that was superlatively detestable, and a
person to be destroyed promptly with as little hesitation
or compunction as one would destroy a particularly
venomous snake ; and such was the feeling which Gros-
venor and Dick inspired in the breasts of those natives
in whose hands they found themselves upon a certain
memorable day. It was at first proposed to put them
to the torture sans cdr4nionze\ but a certain petty chief,
anxious to curry favour with the king, intervened in the
nick of time, and, having made prisoners of the entire
party, sent the whole of them, including the wagon,
oxen, horses, and animals generally, to the king's vil-
lage, in order that His Majesty might have his full
share of such sport as the torture of the white men
might furnish. This journey, however, occupied five
days, during the progress of which the two white men
proved to be so different in every respect from the only
other white men whom the blacks had ever encountered,
to be possessed of such strange powers, and to be,
generally, such ** kittle cattle" to deal with, that the
king, learning that these strangers were bent upon
entering the territory of his white neighbours, ultimately
came to the somewhat cynical conclusion that he could
kill two birds with one stone, so to speak, by allowing
the formidable strangers to go their way and inflict the
maximum amount of annoyance and damage upon his
especial enemies before those enemies in their turn de-
stroyed the unwelcome visitors.

Thus it came to pass that, after spending close upon
a fortnight in momentary expectation of a hideously

The Mysterious White Race 207

protracted death by torture, Dick Maitland and Philip
Grosvenor one day found themselves most unexpectedly
released, their belongings returned to them, and per-
mission accorded them to proceed upon their journey
as soon as they would. They instantly availed them-
selves of this permission, lest peradventure it should
be retracted; the result being that for five days they
travelled under the protection of an armed escort until
they arrived at the frontier, where the escort hurriedly
left them, after jeeringly warning them of the many
evil things that awaited them in the immediate future.
Scarcely ten minutes had elapsed after the departure
of the guard before the travellers perceived a man in-
tently watching them from the summit of a low kopje
about a quarter of a mile ahead of them. For perhaps
a minute he stood, motionless as a statue, gazing stead-
fastly at them under the shade of his hand, then he
turned suddenly and disappeared. But during that
minute Dick and Grosvenor had brought their power-
ful field glasses to bear upon him, and had distinctly
seen that his skin was white, excepting in so far as
it had become browned by the sun, that his hair was
thick, black, and arranged in long, straight curls that
reached to his shoulders, that he was naked save for
a breech clout about his loins and a pair of sandals
upon his feet, and that he was armed with a long,
slender spear and a circular shield or target about two
and a half feet in diameter. Three minutes later they
saw him running with incredible speed toward another
low elevation, distant about a mile from his starting-
point, and which, as the travellers discovered, when
they brought their glasses to bear upon it, was crowned
by a low structure, so roughly constructed that it might
easily have passed for a mere heap of stones and turf,
but which, later on, proved to be a sort of blockhouse
accommodating an outpost consisting of an officer and

2o8 Adventures of Dick Maitland

ten men. Two minutes later the man whom they had
first seen, or another so exceedingly like him that it
was impossible to distinguish any difference at a dis-
tance of two or three hundred yards, left the block-
house — which they now perceived was only one of many
in sight arranged in a somewhat irregularly curved line
which probably conformed to the line of the frontier —
and set off, at the same astonishing speed that the first
had displayed, heading inward from the frontier line.
They watched him for about five minutes, and then
lost sight of him over the brow of a slight undulation.
Beyond the roughly constructed blockhouses there was
not a sign of inhabitants in any direction ; the land was
rough and uncultivated, there were neither cattle nor
sheep to be seen ; and if, as they strongly suspected,
the blockhouses in sight accommodated a few men,
none of their occupants revealed their presence nor
made the slightest attempt to interfere with the unin-
vited visitors. It was a moot point between Dick and
Grosvenor whether they should not take the bull by
the horns, as it were, by riding up to the nearest
blockhouse and attempting to get into conimunication
with its occupants at once; but Grosvenor was very
strongly opposed to any such step, upon the ground
that, if they did so, they might be summarily turned
back and ordered to quit the country forthwith, which,
as Phil pointed out with some emphasis, would be an
exceedingly tame and ignominious ending of their long
and arduous journey. His policy was to let well enough
alone, to get as far into the country as possible before
attempting to open up communication with its inhabi-
tants, and, meanwhile, to show in every possible man-
ner by their sober behaviour that their mission was a
peaceable one.

But if the borderland of this mysterious country pre-
sented a somewhat wild and uninviting appearance, it

The Mysterious White Race 209

was not long before the travellers perceived that this
state of things prevailed only over a very narrow belt
of territory. For as they pressed on toward the interior
they first sighted another line of blockhouses, consider-
ably larger and more substantially constructed than the
first, each perched upon a commanding knoll and com-
pletely surrounded by a stout, lofty, and practically
unclimbable stockade; then they saw a few cattle dotted
about, grazing, under the protection of quite a strong
force of armed men, similar in all respects to the indi-
vidual whom they had first sighted. These people took
no notice of the strangers beyond removing themselves
and their charges well out of the route which was being
pursued by the wagon ; it was evident that they had no
desire to come into touch in any way whatever with
their uninvited visitors. Then, a mile or so farther
on, the herds became larger and their attendants more
numerous; and, next, the intruders reached what seemed
to be a belt of farms, each containing its own fortified
farmhouse, a lofty and, apparently, immensely strong
and solid structure of hewn stone, surrounded in many
cases by a moat, either wet or dry, with a single narrow
entrance high up in the wall and only accessible by
means of a ladder; the unglazed window openings few
in number and too narrow to permit the passage of a
human being through them; the roof flat, and protected
by a breast-high parapet; the structure, as a whole,
constituting a very efficient miniature stronghold. The
crops appeared to be of the most varied character,
starting with sugar cane on the outside margin of what
may be called the agricultural belt, and then gradually
changing to various kinds of grain, which in its turn
was succeeded by fruit orchards and vineyards. These
last, however, were not met with until the detached
farms had been left far behind, and had been succeeded
in turn, first by tiny hamlets of half a dozen houses

(C327) 14

2IO Adventures of Dick Maitland

huddled together as if for mutual protection, and the
by villages of ever-increasing importance, each domi
nated by a castle-like structure that looked as thoug
it might serve the purpose of a keep or refuge for th
inhabitants to retire to in times of stress or danger
These, however, were not reached by the traveller
until quite late in the following day, and are onl
referred to now, in order that some idea may be con
veyed of the manner in which the mysterious whit
race who inhabited the country met the problem o
carrying on their agricultural pursuits, and at the sam
time affording protection to the farmers against suddei
raids by their savage neighbours.

The region or belt of small hamlets still lay some tw<
miles ahead of the travellers when, about half an hou
before sunset, the word was given to outspan in th
midst of a patch of rich pasture watered by a small
shallow stream of crystal-clear water. By the tim
that the sun was sinking behind a range of hills tha
rose gradually from the plain, and the summits of whicl
were apparently about twenty miles distant, the oxei
and other animals had been watered, the tent pitched
and the two leaders of the little expedition, havinj
found a passable bathing place a short distance up th
stream and taken their evening dip, were impatientl;
awaiting the last meal of the day, which by courtes;
they named dinner, although it very inadequately repre
sented the usual conception of what that meal ough
to be.

Presently the viands made their appearance — a hauncl
of venison, cut from a buck that Grosvenor had sho
early that morning, served sparingly with red curran
jelly, the last pot of which had been opened for thi
occasion, sweet potatoes, purchased from the savage:
a few days earlier, "flap-jacks" — so called becaus(
they could find no other name for them — made bj

The Mysterious White Race 211

Ramoo Samee of flour, mealie meal, and water, and
baked over the embers of the cooking fire, a few wild
guavas, and as much water from the stream as they
cared to drink, followed by a very small cup of coffee
each, for both coffee and sugar were now becoming
exceedingly scarce commodities with them.

As they ate they talked, the burden of Dick's con-
versation being the remarkable behaviour of the in-
habitants of this mysterious country in leaving them
so severely alone, a course of action which was in
direct opposition to all their past experiences of the
African peoples, and which Dick regarded as sinister
in the extreme. His settled policy in dealing with
the savages had always been to approach them
promptly, as soon as met with, and lose no time in
making friendly overtures, his leading idea being that
if one can but succeed in convincing a savage that no
harm of any kind is intended him, he is just as likely
to be amiable as the reverse. Up to now Grosvenor
had held a similar opinion, and had always most ably
seconded Dick's endeavours to create a friendly im-
pression upon the natives encountered ; but in the
present case he was utterly opposed to their usual
methods, the fact being that the idea of penetrating
to the heart of the country inhabited by the mysterious
white race had gradually come to be an obsession with
him, and he would hear of nothing being done that

might by any chance interfere with this project; his
conviction being that if they adopted their usual
methods they would inevitably be stopped and sent
to the rightabout. Had he but known what was im-
pending, his anxiety would probably have taken quite
a different direction.

The two friends were seated in their tent, partaking
of breakfast, on the following morning, when Mafuta
hurriedly appeared, in a state of considerable perturba-

212 Adventures of Dick Maitland

tion, with the information that a strong body of armed
men were approaching the camp; and upon turning
out to investigate, they saw that this was indeed the
case, the new arrivals being in number about a hun-
dred, and apparently a party of soldiery, all being
attired alike in a sort of uniform consisting of a sleeve-
less white tunic girt about the waist with a belt, and
buskins reaching halfway to the knee ; their heads were
bare, save for a thick mop of black hair, arranged in
curls which reached to the shoulders ; and each man
was armed with a long lance, or spear, and a shield,
or target, similar to those seen on the previous day.
They advanced in single file and close order, and
appeared to be under the command of a man who wore
a feather headdress, whose tunic was adorned with a
pattern round the hem and armholes, worked in what
looked like crimson braid, upon which were sewn close
together a large number of small circular disks of
polished yellow metal which had the appearance of
being made of brass, or, maybe, gold.

'*Ah," ejaculated Grosvenor, as he stood watching
their approach, **my fears have materialized, you see,
Dick ! Those fellows have undoubtedly been dis-
patched to conduct us back to the frontier and see
us safely out of the country ; and here ends my long-
cherished hope of making the acquaintance of this
mysterious white race. It is horribly exasperating,
especially after we have actually reached their country,
and seen for ourselves that such a .people really
exists."

'* Um ! " retorted Dick. ** Yes, it is undoubtedly
provoking, as you say. But I hope nothing worse
is going to happen than what you anticipate. I must

confess that I do not altogether like the appearance
of things in general, and the expression upon the
countenances of those fellows in particular. I seem

The Mysterious White Race 213

to detect indications of a cold-blooded, relentless
ferocity that would cause them to convert our bodies
into pincushions for those spears of theirs with as little
compunction as you would impale a rare moth upon
a cork with a pin. But whatever may be their inten-
tions with regard to us, we must rigidly adhere to our
usual principle of showing no fear and offering no
resistance. Probably if we follow this plan they will
not kill us on the spot; and while there is life there
is hope and the possibility that chance may turn in
our favour. Anyway, whatever may happen to us,
I hope that they will spare the blacks. Possibly they
may make slaves of us all. Well, we shall soon
know the worst, for here they come — confound those
dogs! — call them off, Phil; if they fly at any of those
chaps and hurt them, there will be trouble at once!
Here, Pincher, Juno, Pat, Kafoula, *Mfan, come in,
you silly duffers! Come in, I say! D*you hear me?
Come in and lie down! And you too, Leo; how dare
you, sir!"

Dick and Grosvenor rushed out, and with the aid
of sjamboks soon quelled the disturbance and brought
their motley pack into subjection, the animals having
made a general dash at the intruders, when the latter
arrived within some fifty yards of the wagon, while
Leo, the lion cub, excited by the disturbance, had
broken the rein which usually confined him to the
wagon at nighttime, and had participated in the
general onslaught.

At the charge of the snapping, snarling dogs the
approaching body of soldiery had promptly levelled

their spears, and the interference of Dick and Gros-
venor had only just been in the nick of time to save
the animals' lives. The little episode left the troops
and their commander absolutely expressionless, save
that the latter seemed just a trifle astonished when

214 Adventures of Dick Maitland

he saw Dick coolly seize the snarling" lion cub by his
incipient mane and rate him roundly for his insubor-
dinate behaviour, before he ordered the brute to retire
with the dogs to the wag^on. The next moment, in
obedience to a sig'n from the officer, six couples de-
tached themselves from the main body of the soldiery;
and in a trice the two young- Englishmen and their
four dark-skinned followers, Mafuta, Ramoo Samee,
Jantje, and 'Nkuku — the latter absolutely shivering
with fear — found themselves prisoners, with their
arms tightly bound behind them with stout raw-hide
thongs.

**Ah," ejaculated Dick, **this is just what I feared
might happen ! Still, it is perhaps better than being
killed outright, and '*

**Hush!" interrupted Grosvenor, sharply. ** Listen
to that fellow giving orders to his men: I'll be shot
if he isn't speaking Hebrew — or something that sounds
uncommonly like it!"

"Hebrew?" echoed Dick. "Nonsense! Surely you
don't mean it?"

"Indeed I do, then," retorted Grosvenor; "never
was more serious in my life. Listen ! Yes, I feel
sure I was not mistaken ; it is a sort of Hebrew
patois that he is speaking", Hebrew, mixed up, it is
true, with a number of w^ords that I can make no-
thing of. Still, I can understand enough of what he
is sayings to make out that he is giving his fellows
orders to drive in our oxen and yoke them to the
wagon. You know I went in rather strongly for
Hebrew when I was at Oxford, and did pretty well
at it. And I don't know what you think about it,
Dick, but when I come to look at those men's faces

it seems to me that they are all of quite a distinct
Jewish type—eh, what?"

* * Well — yes — they certainly are, " admitted Dick.

The Mysterious White Race 215

<*But — Hebrews! Where the dickens can they have
come from?"

** Goodness knows!" returned Grosvenor; "unless
— and by Jove there may be something in the idea —
who is to say that they are not one or more of the
lost tribes — eh, what?"

** Well, of course they may be," agreed Dick.
**That is rather a brilliant idea of yours, old chap,
and may be worth following up — if they give us the
chance. But not just now ; there are more pressing
matters claiming our attention at this moment — these
bonds of ours, for instance. I don*t know how yours
are, but mine have been drawn quite unnecessarily
tight; my fingers already feel as though they are about
to burst. Do you think you could make that fellow
understand that there is no need at all to bind us,
and that if he will release us we ask nothing better
than to accompany him whithersoever he may be
pleased to take us?"

**Yes, I think I can," replied Grosvenor. **At all
events I'll try ; my lashings are quite as uncomfortable
as yours can be, I fancy."

And forthwith he shouted to the officer a lengthy if
somewhat halting communication in the best Hebrew
at his command, the result being that, after a long
colloquy, the amazed officer, after considerable hesi-
tation, somewhat reluctantly gave the order for the
prisoners' bonds to be loosed, after cautioning them
that the slightest sign of any attempt at escape would
result in the instant death of the entire party. Then,
having scored one success, Grosvenor attempted an-
other by suggesting that Jantje and 'Nkuku should
be entrusted with the inspanning and driving of the
wagon, which could be accomplished with much
greater facility if the oxen were handled by those
to whom they were accustomed. This also the officer

2i6 Adventures of Dick Maitland

eventually conceded, after carefully considering the
matter for about a quarter of an hour, meanwhile
the oxen were driven very nearly mad by the vain
efforts of the soldiers to round them up and drive
them towards the wagon.

CHAPTER XIV

Prisoners

At length, after a tremendous amount of unnecessary
confusion and trouble, the oxen were inspanned, and
with the usual unearthly yells and loud cracking of
the long whip by Jantje, mounted upon the wagon
box, the creaking, lumbering vehicle was got under
way, Ramoo Samee following close behind and leading
the horses, while the dogs and Leo came to heel and
trotted along close behind Grosvenor and Dick, as
was their wont when their masters chose to walk,
which was not very often. As for the soldiers, they
arranged themselves as a cordon round the entire
cortege, the officer in command leading the way.

This order was maintained until the noon outspan,
when the officer, after some pressing, laid aside his
aloofness sufficiently to accept Grosvenor*s invitation
to join him and Dick at luncheon. This proved to be
the thin end of the wedge, so to speak; for the man
could scarcely sit at the same table with his two
prisoners, partake of their fare, and still preserve his
original attitude of silence toward them; indeed it
soon became evident that he was consumed with
curiosity concerning the two people who had travelled
such a distance with such few retainers; who seemed
to have absolutely no knowledge of what fear was ;
and who apparently numbered lions as well as dogs
among their domestic animals. He began by making

217

2i8 Adventures of Dick Maitland

a few tentative remarks, to which Grosvenor responded
at some length, and then suddenly demanded, with
an air of astonishment that he made scarcely any
effort to conceal, how it came about that he, Gros-
venor, a total stranger, was able to communicate
with a native of the country in what was practically
his own language. Then Grosvenor entered into a
long explanation, involving a brief history of the prin-
cipal seats of learning in England, with the methods
and subjects of study pursued therein, and including
the interesting fact that Hebrew, being commonly
regarded as one of the most ancient tongues in the
world, was there regarded as especially worthy of
attention.

This last statement seemed to be particularly gratify-
ing to the young officer's vanity, and had a distinctly
mollifying effect upon his original hauteur and cold-
ness. He thawed visibly, and even condescended to
laugh at some mild joke upon which Grosvenor ven-
tured, and then sought to further satisfy his curiosity
by making a number of personal enquiries as to where
Phil and his friend came from, why they came, how long
they had been upon the journey, and so on. To all
these enquiries Grosvenor replied pretty fully, but when
in his turn he attempted to elicit some information
respecting their destination, and the treatment that they
might expect to receive upon their arrival, the man at
once shut up like a trap, and thenceforward for the re-
mainder of the journey refused to hold any communica-
tion whatever with his prisoners.

Their route lay in the direction of a range of distant
hills, which they judged it was the intention of their
captor to cross ; and as they went they found the
country gradually changing its character by subtle
gradations, growing ever more fertile and more highly
cultivated with every mile of progress, while the houses

Prisoners 219

increased in number and clustered more thickly to-
gether. At length, after passing through one of these
hamlets, they emerged upon a narrow field path, which
widened somewhat when the next hamlet was passed,
and so gradually became a more prominent feature
until ultimately it developed into a full - blown road,
which, rough and uneven at first, steadily improved
in appearance and quality until it became a very
excellent and much-used thoroughfare, shaded by trees
on either hand. In short the country, which on its
extreme frontier was a perfect wilderness, steadily im-
proved with every mile of progress toward its in-
terior, as regarded the evidences of a high state of
civilization. One of the strangest things, however,
which came under the notice of the Englishmen was
that, from the moment of their arrest, the inhabitants —
whom they encountered in ever-increasing numbers as
the day wore on — manifested the most absolute indif-
ference with regard to them, not even deigning to cast
a second glance upon what was clearly a most novel
and unusual sight in that country.

At sunset the party encamped at the foot of the hills
toward which they had been journeying all day, and
which proved to be much more lofty, and at a much
greater distance, than they had imagined them to be
when they were first sighted; and the whole of the
next day was consumed in climbing, by means of an
excellent road, to the summit of a pass where, having
safely negotiated a short length of exceedingly narrow
and difficult roadway between two enormous vertical
cliffs, they emerged upon a small plateau of rich grass-
land that afforded good camping ground for the night.

The spot where the travellers outspanned was the
bottom of a miniature basin of some five or six acres
in extent, and was surrounded on all sides by steep
slopes terminating in a series of jagged peaks, some

220 Adventures of Dick Maitland

four or five hundred feet high, that bounded the view-
in every direction and limited it to a distance of about
half a mile. But when, after inspanning on the follow-
ing- morning, they crossed the little plateau upon w^hich
they had spent the night, and passed round a bluff at
its farther side, a wonderful prospect at once burst upon
their astonished gaze. For they now found that the
chain of hills, up the outer slope of which they had
been laboriously climbing during the whole of the pre-
ceding day, formed an unbroken if somewhat irregular
circle of something like forty miles in diameter, measur-
ing across from ridge to ridge, the inner slopes of the
encircling hills being from three to five miles wide, with
a plain of from five to ten miles in width at their feet,
this plain in turn encircling a lovely lake, measuring
about twenty miles across, the very centre of which
was occupied by an island of perhaps three or four
miles in diameter, the whole rugged surface of which
appeared to be covered with buildings embowered in
leafy gardens.

Now at last the travellers began to really under-
stand the wealth and importance of the people into
whose country they had entered, uninvited; for, as far
as the eye could reach, even with the aid of their
exceedingly powerful field glasses, the mountain slopes
and the plain that lay circling at their feet consisted
of nothing but a practically unbroken sweep of highly
cultivated land, dotted with snug farmhouses, and bear-
ing ripening crops of various kinds, interspersed here
and there with trim vineyards, or orchards of fruit-
bearing trees; while, at distances of from three to
eight or ten miles apart, there nestled among groves
of noble shade trees, villages which must have sheltered
from a hundred-and-fifty to, perhaps, four or five hun-
dred inhabitants. And through all there ran a perfect
network of roads, carrying, as could be seen with the

Prisoners 221

aid of their glasses, a considerable amount of traffic,
among which could be distinguished a number of
wheeled vehicles, the first they had seen since enter-
ing the country.

The officer, who was their custodian, was evidently
intensely gratified at the surprise and admiration freely
expressed by his two principal prisoners at the scene
that lay spread out at their feet, and even halted the
cortege for a few minutes to enable Dick and Gros-
venor to take in its multudinous details conveniently,
and examine them through their field glasses. It was
noticed by the two Englishmen that he regarded these
instruments with the most acute curiosity, but either
pride or reserve deterred him from asking any question
concerning them. When, however, Dick offered him a
peep through them, he was wholly unable to resist the
temptation, or to restrain his expressions of amazement
as, glancing through the tubes at the island, some
twenty miles distant, he was enabled to distinguish
such details as the roofs, windows, and doors of houses
built thereon, while of course the details of houses in
the plain below, the character of the several vehicles
on the roads, the numbers of oxen in the teams which
drew them, were quite unmistakable. But when Gros-
venor, seeking to avail himself of this temporary re-
laxation of manner, attempted once more to engage
the man in conversation, he instantly relapsed Into his
former attitude of unresponsiveness; and his manner
soon made it clear that he was determined to risk no
complications of any kind by allowing anything in the
nature of familiarity or friendliness between himself and

his prisoners.

The descent from the crest of the encircling hills to
the circular belt of plain below was of course quite an
easy matter, compared with the ascent of the outer
slope on the previous day, the gradient of the road

222 Adventures of Dick Maitland

being practically uniform all the way, and just steep
enough to necessitate a slight application of the brake-
bar to the rear wheels of the wagon from the crest to
the plain; and Dick noted with some surprise that their
taciturn friend, the officer in command, appeared to be
greatly interested in the working of this exceedingly
simple piece of apparatus, as though it was something
with which he was quite unfamiliar. The party effected
the descent and reached the level plain in about an hour
and a half from the moment of starting, and soon found
themselves travelling along a broad, level, well-kept
road among a large number of other people, most of
whom looked at them with more or less curiosity, but
steadfastly refrained from addressing a word of remark
to any of the guard who had them in charge.

About half an hour after reaching the plain they de-
bouched into another and much broader road than that
by which they had been previously travelling, and it
then became tolerably evident that their ultimate des-
tination must be the island in the centre of the lake;
for the road which they were now traversing was abso-
lutely straight all the way to the margin of the lake,
and pointed accurately toward the island.

They had been travelling along this road for nearly
an hour, and were approaching a village of more im-
portance than any which they had hitherto passed,
when there suddenly arose a considerable commotion
among the people on the road ahead of them, who
were seen running confusedly hither and thither amid
a great cloud of dust, while shouts, shrieks, and a
sound of low, angry bellowing rose upon the stagnant
air. Mechanically the whole party came to a halt to
see what was the matter, while Jantje and 'Nkuku
began shouting to each other in greatly excited tones,
and the oxen which were drawing the wagon began
to low, snort, sniff the air, stamp excitedly on the

Prisoners 223

ground, and lung-e at each other with their long horns.
For perhaps a minute it was impossible to guess what
was happening; then the shouts suddenly grew much
louder and more excited, the crowd ahead parted right
and left as though panic-stricken, there arose a shriek of
terror, or pain, or perhaps both, a man's body was seen
to go whirling some eight or ten feet into the air, and
then a bulky something, which presently resolved itself
into a huge buffalo bull, emerged from the dust-cloud
and came charging along the road, striking out with its
immense, curved, sharp-pointed horns at everybody in its
way. The brute was then only about two hundred yards
off, and was galloping straight toward the party, with
tail high in the air, head low, eyes aflame with fury, and
great gouts of froth dripping from its heavy muzzle.
For a moment the soldiers seemed paralysed with terror,
the next they all turned as with one accord, and, leap-
ing an irrigation ditch that ran alongside the road,
sought safety in flight across a field of young wheat.
The buffalo paused a moment in mid-career, as though
hesitating whether he should pursue them or charge
the wagon and its team of oxen ; but the next moment
the brute had made up its mind, and, perhaps attracted
by the crimson trimming and glittering ornaments of
the ofiicer's tunic, leaped the ditch and deliberately
selected that unfortunate individual as the especial
object of his pursuit. The position of the man at once
became one of deadly peril, for, fast though he ran, the
buffalo had the advantage in the matter of speed, and
was rapidly gaining upon him when Dick and Gros-
venor sprang to the wagon and, hastily seizing their
rifles, prepared to act. Dick was the first on the
ground again with his weapon, and, sinking on one
knee to secure steadiness of aim, he brought the sights
to bear exactly behind the animal's left shoulder, and
fired. The spirt of flame and the little jet of filmy blue

224 Adventures of Dick Maitland

smoke extorted a sharp ejaculation of astonishment from
those who were near enough to notice it, but it was as
nothing compared with the shout of mingled amaze-
ment, terror, and relief that went up when the huge
beast stumbled, fell forward on his head, turned a com-
plete somersault, and lay still, slain at the very instant
when, having overtaken the fugitive, he had lowered
his head to impale the shrieking man upon his horns.

With such startling abruptness did the huge beast
collapse that the pursued officer did not realize the
fact until he had run a farther distance of some thirty
yards or so, and even then, when at length he halted
and looked back at the prostrate and motionless animal,
he seemed quite unable to understand that it was dead
and harmless; for he shouted an order to his men to
close in round the buffalo and secure it with cords
before it recovered itself and resumed the aggressive.
It was not until a few of the bolder spirits, having
cautiously approached the carcass, nearly enough to per-
ceive the bullet hole and the blood flowing from it, had
satisfied themselves that the brute was in very truth
dead, and had borne emphatic testimony to the extra-
ordinary fact, that he was able to screw up his own
courage to the point of personal investigation. Then
he calmly made his way back to the road and, ap-
proaching Grosvenor, demanded an explanation of the
seeming miracle; but even after he had been told, and
the rifle exhibited to him and its powers laboriously
explained, he seemed quite unable to understand, and
was at last fain to dismiss the mystery with an impatient
shrug of the shoulders, and an order for the march to
be resumed.

But Dick had seen a man tossed by the buffalo, and
had judged, by the victim's shriek of agony, that he
was badly hurt; he therefore kept his eyes open as they
passed along the road, and sharply directed Grosvenor

Prisoners 225

to call upon the officer to halt when presently they came
upon a group of about a dozen persons standing by the
side of the road surrounding a little group consisting
of two persons, a man and a woman ; the man bleed-
ing profusely from a ghastly wound in the thigh, and
already grey and sharp of feature under the shadow
of death, while the woman crouched helplessly in the
dust, supporting the wounded man's head upon her
knees.

Without ceremony Dick forced his way through the
little crowd of onlookers, gave one keen glance at
the prostrate man, and then, turning, shouted to Gros-
venor :

**This chap is bleeding to death, Phil — artery severed
apparently. Just explain to our man, will you, and tell
him that, with his permission, I propose to save the
poor fellow's life. Mafuta, bring my medicine chest
here, quick!"

The little crowd, that was fast being augmented by
new arrivals, scowled ferociously at the, to them, un-
couthly clad but stalwart figure of the young doctor
who had so unceremoniously forced his way in among
them, but remained passive, possibly gathering, from
the tone of his speech, that he proposed to succour the
wounded man ; nor did the officer in charge of the
party offer any objection, but obediently called a halt
when requested by Grosvenor to do so. A few seconds
later, therefore, Dick, with Grosvenor as his assistant,
was kneeling beside the wounded man, deftly bathing
his terrible injury with an antiseptic lotion, prior to the
more difficult and delicate task of searching for and
securing the ends of the severed artery, which had
been spouting blood like a fountain until Dick had
applied the tourniquet The entire operation of dress-
ing, stitching, and binding up the wound occupied the
best part of half an hour, by which time the roadway

(C327) 15

226 Adventures of Dick Maitland

was packed with people anxiously enquiring' what was
amiss, and eager to get a glimpse of the benevolent
young barbarians who had so strangely come among
them and at so opportune a moment. Those who were
favourably enough placed actually to see what was
going on were filled with amazement and — despite
their unreasoning hatred of strangers — admiration at
the deftness with which Dick first stanched the flow
of blood and then proceeded to dress the injury; for,
strangely enough, this people, highly civilized though
they were in some respects, possessed but the most
rudimentary knowledge of medicine and surgery, pin-
ning their faith chiefly to the virtue of charms and
incantations, their knowledge being not nearly suffi-
cient to enable them successfully to grapple with so
serious an injury as that with which the young Eng-
lishman was so calmly and competently dealing. As
the operation proceeded, these people, usually so cold
and self-contained, reported progress to those who
were less favourably situated for observation than
themselves, and in this way the entire crowd were
kept posted up in every step, until finally a great
sigh of relief arose from them as Dick concluded his
task and rose to his feet.

But the young doctor had not yet finished with his
patient, by any means ; he intended to see him safely
into his own home before he left him, and this he did,
a half-dozen of the soldiers fetching the man's bed from
his house, carefully lifting him thereon, and carrying
him in, under Dick's watchful care, aided by Gros-
venor as interpreter. This done, he administered a
soothing and fever-allaying draught; after which, upon
being informed by the young officer that he would pro-
bably have no opportunity of seeing his patient again,
he hypnotised the man and subjected him to a power-
ful mental suggestion that all danger was now past,

Prisoners 227

that no complications of any kind would arise, and
that he would rapidly get well without further atten-
tion. This done, he and Grosvenor rejoined the wagon
and resumed their march.

The delay occasioned by this incident of the buffalo
so retarded their progress that it was close upon noon
before they arrived at the margin of the lake; and here
they were curtly informed that they were about to be
conveyed to the island, and that as it was not pro-
posed to take the wagon or any of the animals with
them, they must indicate what few articles they thought
they might require during the next few days, and
those articles would be conveyed across with them.
There was a cetain indefinable, sinister suggestiveness
in the character of this communication that seemed to
imply a doubt in the mind of the official who made it
whether the individuals to whom it was made would
require anything at all after **the next few days";
but Dick and Grosvenor, acting as usual upon the
general principle of taking an optimistic view of every-
thing, gave no sign that they detected anything of a
covert character in the intimation, and calmly indicated
the trunks containing their clothing, the medicine chest,
their rifles and revolvers, and a case of ammunition
for the same, all of which were duly placed in a large
craft, in shape something between a canoe and a lighter,
which they afterward discovered was propelled by sixty
paddles. At the last moment it transpired that their
black attendants, Mafuta, Jantje, and *Nkuku were to
be left behind on the mainland — which arrangement
also appeared to bear a certain sinister significance —
whereupon Grosvenor suggested the extreme impor-
tance of placing them in charge of the wagon and its
remaining contents, part of which — two cases of am-
munition, to wit — he explained, consisted of terribly
powerful magic, any tampering with which by un-

228 Adventures of Dick Maitland

authorized persons must inevitably have the most
appallingly disastrous results. This suggestion, Gros-
venor was informed, v^ould receive the most careful
consideration of the authorities ; and he had the satis-
faction of believing that not only would this probably
result in saving the lives of the blacks, at least for
a time, but he also perceived that his hint respecting
the ** magic" had made a very distinct impression.

The preparations for the transport of the prisoners
across the lake were soon made, and in about half
an hour from the moment of their arrival upon the
beach they were under way. A circumstance which
at once struck Dick as peculiar was the fact that
the craft in which they were making the passage was
unprovided with sails, in consequence of which they
had to depend entirely upon the exertions of the pad-
dlers, although, as it happened, there was a gentle
breeze blowing that was dead fair for them. Thus
the boat, being large and of somewhat clumsy model,
occupied fully two hours in her passage, of about
eight miles from the mainland to the island, notwith-
standing the fact that sixty stalwart men were toiling
at the paddles.

But this matter was soon banished from the minds
of the two young Englishmen by their growing interest
in the mysterious island which they were gradually ap-
proaching. For mysterious it certainly was in several
respects. In the first place its solitary situation, right
in the centre of that unknown lake, invested it with
a certain aspect of secrecy, and secrecy always suggests
mystery. Also there seemed to be little or no traffic
between the island and the mainland, for during the
two hours occupied by their crossing no other boat
or craft of any kind appeared upon any part of the
lake. Then, as they gradually drew nearer to the
island, and its various details revealed themselves, the

Prisoners 229

two young Englishmen became aware that the entire
island, excepting perhaps the actual soil of it, was
artificial ; that is to say, every square inch of its
surface had apparently been arranged or modified by
the hand of man, for either it bore a building, was
traversed by a road, or formed part of a garden every
tree and plant in which owed its existence and its
precise position to human design and arrangement.
All the natural features of the island seemed to have
been ruthlessly swept away to make room for some-
thing forming part of a complete, comprehensive plan.
And that plan bore eloquent evidence in its every
feature that it owed its inception to intellects char-
acterized by a very high degree of culture and refine-
ment, and its execution to hands exceptionally skilled
in many of those arts and sciences that are the heritage
of ages of civilization. The architecture was massive,
almost heroic in its proportions, and its ornamentation
was severe yet graceful, with a very strong and marked
suggestion of Egyptian influence. The gardens were
elaborately terraced, and consisted for the most part of
wide, smooth, grassy lawns thickly dotted with flower
beds cut into graceful and fanciful shapes, with trees
growing only where they would aff'ord a grateful shade
either to the wayfarer or to the gardens arranged upon
the flat-topped roofs of the houses. The roads were so
cunningly planned that, by means of their serpentine
windings, an easy gradient was everywhere maintained ;
and, lastly, the entire island was encompassed by a
lofty and immensely solid wall, or quay, built of enor-
mous blocks of granite the face of which had been
worked to so smooth a surface as to render it ab-
solutely unclimbable, the only means of obtaining a
landing seeming to be by way of a double flight of
wide stone steps leading up from the water to a wide
platform which was shut off" from the interior of the

230 Adventures of Dick Maitland

island by an immensely strong gateway flanked by
two lofty towers.

By the time that Dick and Grosvenor had become
imbued with a fairly accurate general impression of the
extraordinary characteristics of the mysterious unknown
island city to which they were bound, the craft that
bore them was close in under the frowning protective
wall which engirdled it, and a few minutes later the
boat ranged up alongside one of the two flights of
landing steps, the paddles were laid in, and the crew,
springing to their feet, checked the vessers way by
grappling a number of large bronze mooring rings the
shanks of which were deeply sunk into the face of the
massive masonry. Then the officer who had arrested
the prisoners, and still had them in charge, gave the
word to land, and the young Englishmen stepped
ashore, closely followed by half a dozen men bearing
their several belongings, except their firearms, which
they insisted on carrying themselves.

Ascending the long, easy flight of steps, the little
procession, led by the officer, presently reached the
broad platform on the top, and found themselves con-
fronting a pair of enormous bronze doors which com-
pletely filled the gateway, and which swung slowly
open, apparently by some mechanical means, to admit
them. Passing through the gateway, and noting, as
they went, the extraordinary strength and solidity of
the doors, they found themselves in a kind of tunnel,
or passage, some twenty feet long, in the structure
of the gateway, with a sunlit vista of a paved street,
bordered on either hand by lofty shade trees, with
houses behind them, and thronged with people. An-
other minute and they had emerged from the archway
and were in the street itself, which they now perceived
to be one of the business streets of the island, for the
houses on either side of it were arranged as shops,

Prisoners 231

the whole of the lower part of each being open, afford-
ing a view of the various wares for sale, displayed
upon a gently sloping platform, at the rear end of
which sat the owner, cross-legged, Eastern fashion,
arrayed in long flowing robes of brilliant hues. The
fronts of the shops were unglazed, and unprotected
by screen or barrier of any kind, nor did the shop-
keeper make the slightest attempt to solicit custom;
his property was simply protected from the ardent
rays of the sun by a gaily coloured blind, or awning,
and he sat silently and gravely awaiting the arrival of
such customers as might chance to require the par-
ticular kind of wares that he had for disposal. These
wares, it soon appeared, consisted chiefly of fruit;
bread, in the form of small, fancifully shaped loaves;
cakes; sweetmeats; drinks of various kinds, mostly
compounded of powders while the customer waited —
there seemed to be a brisk demand for these — fish,
presumably from the lake, alive and swimming about
in a large tank from which they were withdrawn as
required by means of a hand net; light flimsy muslins,
white or dyed in a number of brilliant colours ; lengths
of exquisite embroidery in gold, silver, or silk thread,
and in some cases studded with what looked very
much like uncut gems; saddlery and harness, some
of it richly mounted or embroidered with gold ; queer-
shaped household utensils made of copper or some
other metal that had the colour and sheen of gold;
jewellery, necklaces, bracelets, armlets, anklets, ear-
rings, and finger rings of gold, and vari- coloured
stones that might or might not be gems; and articles
of clothing, including sandals of all kinds, from the
perfectly plain piece of board, secured by a single
strap, to articles of the most elegant design and costly
workmanship.

The little party traversed this street for about a

232 Adventures of Dick Maitland

quarter of a mile, attracting little or no notice from
the passers-by as they went, and then turned abruptly
out of it into a wide road leading gradually uphill. The
houses which bordered this road were all private resi-
dences, detached from each other, and each embosomed
in its own spacious garden, aflame with flowers of the
most brilliant hues and exquisite perfume, several of
the species being quite unknown to the Englishmen.
The people who were encountered in this road, or were
seen passing in or out of the houses, or moving about
in the gardens, appeared to be of decidedly higher caste
than any that the travellers had thus far seen. Their
skins were not so swarthy, their features were more re-
fined, many of the women being exceedingly beautiful,
although the good looks of the men were to a con-
siderable extent marred by an expression which may
best be described as latent, cold-blooded ferocity. All
these people wore garments of exceedingly fine material,
mostly white, richly trimmed with elaborate embroidery
in colours or gold, the women's dress being a long,
sleeveless garment reaching from the throat to the
feet and confined at the waist by an ornamental belt,
handsome sandals, much jewellery, and the head bare,
the heavy masses of dark hair being wound upon the
head very becomingly, and intertwined with ribbon or
strings of coloured beads. The costumes of the men
were of two kinds: the elders wore for the most part
a long, flowing burnous kind of garment with enor-
mous loose sleeves reaching to the wrists, while the
younger men wore a kind of tunic confined at the
waist by a belt and reaching just below the knee. All
wore either sandals or buskins, and all were bare-
headed, the hair of the men being exceedingly thick,
allowed to grow long enough to reach the shoulder,
and mostly dressed in thick clusters of tight, straight
curls. The general type of countenance, as Grosvenor

Prisoners 233

again took occasion to remark to Dick, was distinctly
Hebraic.

The road which the party now followed twisted and
turned hither and thither, apparently with the object
of securing a uniform gradient, but it led continuously
upward, until at length it conducted them to an enor-
mous, massively constructed building of brown granite
that towered, tier after tier, for five tiers in height; the
top tier consisting of a comparatively small edifice with
a metal roof which shone in the afternoon sun like bur-
nished gold. This building somehow suggested the idea
of a temple, partly, perhaps, because of the fact that it
was the topmost portion of the building which occu-
pied the extreme apex of the island; but the newcomers
had scant opportunity to take in its details, for they
were marched straight to a low doorway cut in the
tremendously thick wall of the lower story of the
building, which gave them admission to a long laby-
rinth of twisting passages, lighted only by the smoky
flare of half a dozen torches. This network of passages
they traversed for a distance which both of them esti-
mated at fully five hundred yards, finally arriving at
a small door which was flung open by a man who had
accompanied the party from the outer door. The officer
motioned his prisoners to enter, and, there being no
alternative, they did so, the bearers following with
their belongings. These last being deposited on the
ground, the bearers retired, the door was slammed-to
and barred on the outside, and the two adventurous
young Englishmen found themselves alone in a cell or
dungeon about eight feet square, devoid of every sug-
gestion of furniture, and lighted only by a small aper-
ture, some six inches square, pierced in an outer wall
of the building which must have been at least twelve
feet thick.

CHAPTER XV

The Trial and Verdict

"Well, Dick," exclaimed Grosvenor, as the door was
closed upon them and they looked round them in the
dim light percolating through the long, narrow aperture
in the wall which afforded their only supply of air and
illumination, "what is your present opinion of things
in general?"

"Well," returned Dick reflectively, "the outstanding
fact which dominates all others is that we have actually
penetrated to the very heart of the mysterious country
which our friend Mitchell predicted we should never
reach, and have therefore triumphantly accomplished
the chief object of our journey, despite all the diffi-
culties that we have encountered. For the rest, this
cell, although it is somewhat lacking in comfort and
convenience as a dwelling, is at least clean, dry, and
pleasantly cool compared with the temperature outside.
And — that is about all I have to say on the matter at
present, I think."

"Um!" retorted Grosvenor with a suspicion of
peevishness in his voice; "that is not very much.
What do you think they mean to do with us? That
is what I am trying to get at. Of course I remember
that the gist of Mitchell's homily to us was : * Don't
go, if you value your lives, because those people don't
like strangers'. But if a fellow seriously considered

234

The Trial and Verdict 235

a little matter like that, exploration would soon be a
thing of the past, for Tve noticed that many of the
johnnies whose countries we have passed through
haven't liked strangers. Yet we've contrived to pull
through all right thus far; and of course I have been
hoping that our luck would still hold good, and that
when we arrived in this country something would hap-
pen to enable us to create a favourable impression upon
the chappies, causing them to decide that we are the
exceptions to the general rule, and are worthy to be
treated as honoured guests and all that sort of thing —
eh, what? But when I look round me and take in the
details of this apartment it seems to me that things
have somehow gone wrong; I can't help thinking that
they must have a more comfortable guest chamber than
this somewhere in this old caravanserai — eh? What
do you think?"

*'I have no doubt they have," returned Dick. "Yet
they may consider this quite good enough for us. But
I am not going to worry very greatly just yet, and I
would recommend you not to do so either. It is true
that so far these folk have displayed a most lament-
able and disconcerting lack of appreciation of our many
excellent qualities, but you must remember that we have
not had much opportunity for a display of those quali-
ties as yet. The opportunity will come no doubt, and
when it does we will just make our friends outside
sit up — I don't quite know how, but we will do it
somehow. So cheer up, old chap; the fact that they
have put us in here instead of killing us at sight, so
to speak, seems to suggest to my mind the belief that,
if they are displeased at our presence in their country,
they at least intend to give us some sort of a trial before
passing us on to the executioner."

236 Adventures of Dick Maitland

**Oh, dash it all, old man, don't talk about execu-
tioners !" beg'an Grosvenor, when he was inter-
rupted by the opening" of the cell door and a mar
entered, bearing in one hand a pitcher of water, anc
in the other a loaf of bread of liberal proportions or
a wooden platter. These he placed on the floor besidt
the prisoners, and was gone again before Grosvenoi
could sufficiently pull his wits together to address
him.

The food and drink were most acceptable, for the
prisoners had taken no refreshment since breakfast thai
morning, and the day was now drawing to its close,
as they could tell by the rapidly diminishing light that
percolated through their narrow window. They fel]
to upon the viands forthwith, availing themselves oi
the last departing daylight to find the food ; and finally,
after a little further desultory chat, in which each did
his best to make light of the situation, they disposed
themselves as comfortably as they could upon the floor,
and sought such rest as might be possible under the
circumstances.

The night that followed was certainly not a pleasant
one, for the floor was hard, and sleep was shy of coming
to them. With the first glimmerings of daylight, there-
fore, the two prisoners arose, weary, sore of body, and
in a distinctly pessimistic frame of mind which found no
amelioration in the fact that hour after hour dragged
its weary length along, bringing neither visitors nor
food, although the breakfast hour had long passed.
Noon arrived, and still no footstep approached the door
of their cell ; and when at length their watches marked
the hour of three in the afternoon without the arrival
of food, without even so much as a visit from their
jailer to ascertain whether or not all was well with

The Trial and Verdict 237

them, they began to ask themselves seriously whether
by any chance they had been forgotten.

The answer came about half an hour later when the
door of their cell was suddenly thrown open by the man
who had locked them in on the previous night, and
who now gruffly summoned them to follow him.

They emerged from their place of confinement gladly
enough — for they had reached that stage of discomfort
when one welcomes any change, even though there
should be a possibility that it may prove to be for
the worse — and were at once taken into custody by a
handsomely attired officer in command of ten soldiers
who, armed with short, broad-bladed spears, and each
carrying a flaring torch, at once closed round them.
The word to march was given, and the party moved
away along the labyrinth of passages, turning hither
and thither in the most bewildering fashion, until at
length they reached a narrow flight of stone steps
that wound upward, corkscrew fashion, until they
emerged into another passage which, after a journey
of some fifty yards, conducted them into a spacious
and lofty hall lighted at either end by a large window
glazed with what, from the cursory glance which
they obtained of it, they judged to be talc, or some
similar substance. A number of passages led out of
this hall, and down one of them the party plunged,
finally passing through a doorway into a spacious cham-
ber, lighted, like the hall, by large windows glazed with
the talc-like material already mentioned. There was a
peculiarity about this chamber that at once attracted
the attention of the two young Englishmen, and it was
this : the wall opposite the door by which they had
entered was divided horizontally into two unequal parts,
the lower and smaller of the two being occupied by a

238 Adventures of Dick Maitland

grille of exquisitely fine carved work executed in a kind
of Greek pattern, while the upper compartment was
filled in with a window reaching right across from side
to side of the chamber, that threw a strong light right
down upon the precise spot where they were halted. As
the two prisoners came to a standstill at the word of
command of the officer in charge of the party, the
soldiers formed themselves into a semicircle between
their charges and the door, and grounded their spears
with a clank upon the black marble pavement, while,
although the room was apparently empty, save for
themselves, the officer advanced and, raising his spear
in salute, exclaimed in a loud voice, in the quasi-
Hebrew tongue which appeared to be the common
language of the people:

"Lords! the prisoners from afar are present.'*

** It is well," replied a deep, solemn voice from
behind the grille, and the two friends suddenly realized
that they were about to be put upon their trial for
the offence of intruding where they were not wanted.
They both directed their gaze upon the grille with
greatly enhanced interest, striving to obtain a glimpse
of the person or persons behind it; but a space of at
least twenty feet divided them from it, and at that
distance the interstices were too small to afford the
faintest glimpse of anyone on the other side. There
was a pause of perhaps half a minute, then the voice
that had last spoken said :

*' Let Benoni, the officer who arrested the strangers
upon their arrival in Izreel, be summoned to give his
evidence."

The officer in charge of the prisoners stepped to
the door, opened it, spoke a few words to someone
on the other side, apparently giving an order, then

The Trial and Verdict 239

closed the door again and returned to his former
position in the hall.

** Did you hear that, Dick — Benoni — Izreel? Don't
those two names suggest anything to you?" murmured
Grosvenor behind his hand,

**N — o, I can't say that they do, except that they
seem to be not altogether unfamiliar to me,** answered
Dick in a like low murmur.

** Familiar!*' ejaculated Grosvenor, incautiously rais-
ing his voice; '* I should think they are. Why "

'* Silence !'* interposed th6 officer sternly, at this
moment. Although Grosvenor's eyes blazed at the
insult, and he looked more than half-inclined to forcibly
resent it, he closed his lips with a fierce snap, and
obeyed the injunction, at the restraining touch of
Dick's hand. A moment later the officer who had
brought them to the island entered, and, closing the
door behind him, advanced, saluting as he faced the

grille.

'* Benoni," said the deep voice from behind the
screen, **say what you know concerning the strangers
from afar whom ye yesterday brought across the water
to Bethalia!**

Again Benoni saluted. Then, facing toward the
centre of the grille, he proceeded to relate how, in
consequence of intelligence brought to him by runners
from the frontier, he proceeded in search of the
strangers, and, having taken them, brought them to
Bethalia, in accordance with the general order pro-
viding for such a circumstance. Then he proceeded
to describe in some detail the journey, making mention
of the wonderful tubes that brought distant objects
near, so long as one continued to gaze through them;
and, from that, passed on to describe in full the in-

240 Adventures of Dick Maitland

cident of the infuriated buffalo, the consternation it
had created among the wayfarers upon the road along
which it had charged, its persistent pursuit of himself,
the wonderful magic whereby the strangers had slain
the animal, from a distance, at the precise moment
when it had been about to toss him into the air; and
how, finally, the younger stranger of the two had
insisted upon interrupting the journey to succour the
man who had been grievously hurt by the animal ;
adding that, in obedience to orders received, he had
early that morning proceeded to the mainland to en-
quire into the condition of the injured man, whom,
to his amazement, he found to be making favourable
progress toward recovery. He spoke throughout in
a clear, level voice, and seemed to be concerned only
to convey an absolutely truthful impression of every-
thing to his unseen audience behind the grille.

At the conclusion of Benoni*s narrative a silence
ensued, lasting for nearly twenty minutes, broken only
by a low sound suggestive of subdued whispering
behind the grille. At length, however, even this
ceased, and the silence became almost oppressive for
the space of about another half-minute. Then it
was broken by the voice that had before spoken,
saying :

** White strangers, say now by what names are ye
known?"

To which Grosvenor replied: **My name is Philip
Eustace Meredith Grosvenor; and that of my friend
is Richard Maitland."

This statement was followed by another brief silence,
when the unseen speaker said :

** Philip Eustace Meredith Grosvenor and Richard
Maitland," he boggled the names a little, especially

The Trial and Verdict 241

those of Grosvenor, **ye have entered the country
of the Izreelites uninvited, and without even asking*
permission to do so. Had ye sought permission before
crossing our border, it would have been refused you,
and ye would have been turned back and permitted
to depart in peace. But to enter this land uninvited,
and without obtaining permission, is against our law,
and the punishment for the offence is the Slow
Death ! "

Here the speaker made an impressive pause, as
though to allow the statement to be thoroughly ab-
sorbed by the understanding of those most intimately
concerned. Then he resumed :

**But we learn from the officer Benoni, who brought
you hither, that since entering our country ye have
saved the lives of two men; and since men's lives
are more valuable to the Izreelites than aught else,
we have decided to mitigate your punishment to this
extent: ye shall live, if ye will, upon condition that
ye swear never to attempt to leave the country without
the royal assent, and to devote yourselves henceforth
to the service of Izreel in such manner as ye may be
directed. Say now, therefore, will ye accept life, with
the condition attached to the gift; or will ye go forth
from hence to die the Slow Death?"

This speech Grosvenor carefully translated to Dick,
finishing up by asking:

** What answer shall I grive the Johnnie, Dick? On
the one hand, I have no fancy for being marched out
from here to die the Slow Death, whatever that may
be — something pretty horrible, I have no doubt, by
the sound of it — but, on the other hand, I have just
as little inclination to bind myself to end my days
here, among these chappies — eh, what?"

(0 327) 16

242 Adventures of Dick Maitland

**I fully agree with you, my dear fellow, on both
points," answered Dick; **but there is one broad prin-
ciple upon which I invariably act, and that is, where
one is confronted by a choice between two evils,
always to choose the lesser of the two. In this
case I think there can be no question as to which is
the lesser of the two evils between which we have tc
choose; because if we were foolish enough to choose
death it would mean the end of all things sublunary
for us; whereas if we choose life, even with the con-
dition attached, there is always a sporting chance ol
something happening to make matters better for us.
For myself, I would rather live, even here, than die
the death, whether slow or quick. My advice, there-
fore, is to take the life which is offered us, and make
the best of it."

**Very well, then; that's agreed," returned Gros-
venor, who proceeded forthwith to explain laboriously
to the unseen judges that they accepted the alternative
of life offered them.

The decision was received with low murmurs of what
sounded like satisfaction on the part of those behind
the grille. A short silence next ensued, which was
followed by further mutterings among the unseen
judges, who seemed to be debating some important
point. Finally an intimation came from those mysteri-
ous individuals that the strangers were to be marched
to the Great Hall, there to take the oath which formed
the condition upon which they accepted their lives;
whereupon the officer, Benoni, gave an order, and
the prisoners were marched out of the Judgment Hall
through the door by which they had entered.

Making their way back along the passage which they
had previously traversed, the party presently found

The Trial and Verdict 243

themselves In the central hall out of which all the
passages in the building seemed to radiate. Travers-
ing this, they now entered another and much wider
passage, which conducted them into what was presum-
ably the Great Hall ; for it was a square apartment
measuring fully a hundred feet each way, lighted on
two adjacent sides by lofty windows glazed with the
talc-like substance which the two friends had before
observed, only in the present case the glazing glowed
with rich colour, having been painted or dyed with
marvellous skill into representations of various ap-
parently symbolical subjects, as were also the lights
in a great central dome which, supported by massive
columns, occupied about three-fourths of the roof space
of the apartment. These columns as well as the walls
and flat portion of the roof of the hall, were also very
elaborately decorated in colour, while the floor was
composed of white marble. A long, thin rod, which
might be gold, judging from its sheen and colour,
depended from the great boss, or keystone, of the dome,
supporting a group of seven beautifully ornate, lighted
lamps, at a height of about twenty feet above the floor ;
and immediately beneath these there was a table
covered with a cloth, woven in a most intricate and
elegant pattern, apparently of very fine gold thread.
Upon this table there lay a large roll of parchment
manuscript, wound upon two golden rods, decorated
with what looked like pine cones wrought in gold at
the ends ; and behind the table stood seven venerable
men with long white moustaches, and beards reach
ing to their waists, clad in a hooded garment of
finest wool, dyed black, reaching to their feet. Their
hoods were drawn so far over their heads and faces
that little of their features could be seen, save their

244 Adventures of Dick Maitland

eyes, which glowed out of the sombre shadow cast
by their hoods.

The young Englishmen, still in the custody of the
guard, were marched up to within about ten feet of
the table, where they were halted; whereupon the
central and apparently oldest figure of the seven said,
in a deep, grave voice — which both at once recog-
n ized as that which had spoken from behind the
grille :

"Draw near, strangers, and take the oath which
shall free you from the ban of the law, and make
you citizens of Izreel for the remainder of your lives.
Lay your right hands upon this roll and, with your
left hands raised toward heaven, repeat after me:

**I swear, by the Sun, Moon, and Stars, by Light
and Darkness, by the Powers of the Air, and by the
Flame of the seven lamps which burn forever, that I
will never seek to leave Izreel without first obtaining
the royal assent, and that henceforth I will devote
myself to its service in such manner as I shall be
directed!"

The oath sounded formidable enough, but after all
it really meant little to those who were called upon
to take it, and they took it unhesitatingly, with the
full intention of keeping it both in letter and in spirit
— since an oath was an oath, whatever form its word-
ing might assume — and, this done, Benoni and his
guard were dismissed, and the two newly enrolled
citizens of Izreel were left alone with the seven whom
they subsequently came to know as the Elders.

The stern attitude of these toward the two aliens
was now considerably relaxed; they invited Phil and
Dick to accompany them into another and a much
smaller room, where, to the great satisfaction of the

The Trial and Verdict 245

Englishmen, they found a substantial meal awaiting
them, and to this the entire party forthwith sat down.
The appetite of the ex -prisoners was by this time
brought to a fine edge by their somewhat protracted
fast, and they did full justice to the fare placed before
them, to the wonder and admiration of their hosts, who,
it appeared, were themselves but indifferent trencher-
men. The meal over, and the attendants dismissed,
Malachi, the chief of the Elders, and the man who
had delivered judgment in the Judgment Hall, turned
to Grosvenor and said:

"And now, O Philip! the moment has arrived when
we, the Elders, must decide in what manner you and
he whom you call Dick may best serve Izreel. Tell
me, therefore, I pray you, what ye can both best do,
in order that we may assign to each of you a useful
vocation."

"That is all very well," remarked Grosvenor rather
ruefully, when he had translated this speech to Dick.
**So far as you are concerned the matter is simple
enough ; you are a doctor, and when once these chappies
have had an example of your skill in that line I expect
theyli find you plenty to do. But what can I do? Ab-
solutely nothing useful ! I can ride, shoot, sail a yacht
passably "

"Stop!" cried Dick impulsively. "Ask these an-
cients whether they know what sails are. If they
don't — and I'll bet they do not, or they would have
used them yesterday — your vocation, is cut out for
you. You can teach them how to use sails, and also
how to model their craft upon better lines; and by
the time that you have finished that job I have no
doubt another will turn up. Just talk to the old gentle-
men along those lines, and see what comes of it."

246 Adventures of Dick Maitland

And Grosvenor did, with the happiest results. He
ascertained that the Izreelites knew nothing whatever
about sails, or indeed how to use the wind in any way as
a labour-saver; and when he told his little audience that
boats could be propelled, corn ground, water pumped,
and a number of other useful things done by the power
of wind alone, they were at first very strongly inclined
to suspect him of romancing. But when he further
offered to demonstrate to them the truth of his asser-
tion they at once agreed to afford him every facility for
so doing, and cheerfully promised to place at his dis-
posal such men and material as he might require.

And when he came to speak of Dick*s qualifications
as a healer of all manner of diseases and injury to the
human anatomy, they were even more greatly surprised
and delighted, for, astonishing as it may appear in the
case of a people so highly civilized in many respects
as were the Izreelites, they knew practically nothing
of either medicine or surgery, and pinned their faith
entirely to the eflficacy of charms and incantations.
Moreover, it soon transpired that they had a particular
as well as a general reason for rejoicing at the fact that
a physician of real and proved ability had come among

them ; for, after a considerable amount of discussion
among themselves, Grosvenor was informed that the
whole nation was racked with anxiety concerning the
health of the young Queen Myra, who seemed grad-
ually becoming deranged; the especial significance of
their anxiety being explained by the fact — stated with
the utmost gravity — that an ancient prophecy, in which
they placed the most implicit faith, foretold that should
ever a monarch die without issue, the fall of the nation
and its absorption by its savage neighbours would
immediately follow. The point of it all lay in the

The Trial and Verdict 247

fact that the Queen was unwedded, and insisted on
remaining so, while the savages who surrounded Izreel
on every side were daily becoming more aggressive !

"Now, here is your chance, Dick," explained Gros-
venor delightedly, when he had translated the above
particulars to his friend. "You sail in with your pills
and potions, cure the Queen, marry her, make me your
Prime Minister, and we all live happily ever afterwards,
like the people in the fairy tales — eh, what? Shall I
tell these chappies that they need not worry any further
about their Queen, for that you are prepared to cure
her, whatever her malady may happen to be?"

"Of course not," answered Dick seriously. "But
you may say, if you like, that I shall be very pleased
to see Her Majesty and do what I can for her. And
pray try to be serious, Phil, for once in a way; frivolity
is well enough at a proper time, and in its proper
place, but it will not improve these people's opinion
of us if they see us laughing and obviously joking
over a matter that seems to be a serious enough one
for them, and may be sufficiently serious for us, too,
in the long run."

" Yes — yes — of course," assented Grosvenor, com-
pletely sobered by his friend's grave words; "I quite
see what you mean, old chap, and I promise you
there shall be no further ill-timed attempts at jocularity
on my part. The poor old chappies look a bit put out
as it is; but Til soon make it all right with them."

Therewith he proceeded to explain to the Elders
that, while his friend could not promise anything
definite without first seeing the Queen, he was willing
to have an interview with her at once, or at Her
Majesty's earliest convenience, and would do every-
thing in his power to restore her to perfect health.

248 Adventures of Dick Maitland

This announcement at once banished the glum looks
which Grosvenor's ill-timed levity of demeanour had
called up, and restored matters to the favourable con-
dition that had been momentarily endangered. A brief
consultation was held^ and at its conclusion Malachi,
the chief Elder, hurried away to seek an audience of the
Queen with the object of endeavouring to secure her
consent to an interview with the wonderful doctor from
afar. Meanwhile the two Englishmen were conducted
up a magnificently wide marble staircase to the build-
ing that formed the second story, as it were, of the
immense edifice in which they had been brought to
trial, and which they now learned was the Government
building in which the business of the nation generally
was transacted, and the chief officials of the Govern-
ment had lodging, the topmost story of all being a
temple to which the Elders were wont to resort in
times of especial national stress and danger, and where
they were supposed to seek — and obtain — inspiration
and guidance enabling them to successfully grapple
with the crisis.

The second story of this curious building, which was
part legislative palace and part temple, was the portion
especially devoted to the lodgment of the Government
officials, and it was a gratifying indication to the two
friends of their future status in their new country that
they were now assigned apartments in this portion of
the building. These apartments consisted of two large
and exceedingly lofty rooms, one to serve as a sleeping
chamber, and the other as a sitting- and working-room
combined. Each room was lighted by an exceptionally
large window that opened like a door and gave access
to the projecting roof of the story below, which was
some sixty feet wider, each way, than the story im-

The Trial and Verdict 249

mediately above it. This roof was flat, and was beauti-
fully laid out as a flower gfarden, with winding walks
through a level lawn thickly studded with beds of
beautiful, sweet-scented flowers. The garden was pro-
tected all round by a breast-high parapet, and com-
manded a magnificent view, not only of the entire
island, but also of the lake and the encircling hills.
The Elder who installed the newcomers in this sump-
tuous suite of apartments having enquired whether their
lodging was to their liking, and received a reply in the
affirmative, informed them that, that being the case,
the belongings which they had brought with them to
the island would at once be placed in their new lodging.
Then, having asked whether he could do anything more
for their immediate comfort, and being answered in the
negative, he indicated an immense copper gong on the
landing outside their door, informed them that a single
stroke upon it would at once bring the attendant who
had been appointed to wait upon them, and so bowed
himself out.

Meanwhile, Malachi, the chief Elder, was having a
rather difficult time with the self-willed young Queen.
First of all she positively refused to grant him an
audience at all; and when at length he succeeded in
obtaining admission to her apartments by his persistent
representations that the matter upon which he desired
to see her was of the most vital importance, she at
once angrily ordered him out again as soon as she
understood that he had found a new physician whom

he desired her to see. But if the Queen was self-
willed, Malachi was the very incarnation of pertinacity;
he protested, wheedled, entreated, and was indignant
by turns, but all to no purpose until he happened to
mention that the physician in question was a stranger

250 Adventures of Dick Maitland

from a far country beyond the Great Water; when,
first commanding him to repeat his statement all over
again, she suddenly developed a sweet reasonableness,
that caused the astonished Malachi to doubt the evi-
dence of his senses, by announcing that she would see
the stranger, who was to be brought into her presence
forthwith.

CHAPTER XVI

Dick and Phil Prosper

Determined to afford Her Majesty neither time nor
opportunity to repent of her sudden decision, Malachi
hastened out of the palace as speedily as his poor old
limbs would carry him, and, making- the best of his
way back to the enormous building- in which the
strangers were lodged, presented himself in their
apartment, which he found them in the act of return-

r

ing to by way of the window after a stroll round
the roof garden outside. Almost incoherent from want
of breath and his eagerness to impress upon the pair
the necessity to seize the present favourable oppor-
tunity, the Elder hastily explained that his mission
to the Queen had been successful, and entreated
Dick and Grosvenor to accompany him to the palace
forthwith ; with which request they were of course per-
fectly ready to comply. The palace was but a bare
hundred yards from the larger building, both in fact
being built on the same plot of ground, and a few
minutes sufficed the trio to pass from the one building
to the other, to traverse the noble entrance hall of
the palace, and to make their way to the Queen's
private suite of apartments, outside the door of which
two soldiers armed with spear and target stood on
guard. The next moment they were in the presence
of the Queen, who, surrounded by some half a dozen

251

252 Adventures of Dick Maitland

ladies, reclined listlessly upon a couch of solid gold
gorgeously upholstered in richly embroidered silk.

As the trio entered and bowed low before her, the
young Queen glanced listlessly at her visitors for a
moment, and then a look of interest crept into her
eyes, such as Malachi had not seen there for months,
causing his heart to leap within him as he wondered
whether this young doctor had Indeed the power to
perform a miracle and effect the cure of the lovely
young creature upon whom the hopes of the whole
nation depended.

For lovely the Queen most certainly was, indeed it
is the only word which adequately expresses the per-
fection of her charms. The Izreelite women were, as
the young Englishmen had already had opportunity
to observe, mostly of more than prepossessing ap-
pearance, tall, stately, statuesque creatures of Juno-like
proportions, with melting dark eyes, and luxuriant
tresses of dark, curly hair. But Queen Myra's beauty
was of a totally diiferent type, for she was petite^ yet
exquisitely formed, fair as the dawn of a summer's
day, with golden-brown locks, and eyes as blue as
the sapphire sky overhead. So lovely indeed was she
that Grosvenor, surprised out of his manners, whistled
softly, and remarked to Dick, in quite audible tones :

**Phew! Dick, my boy, did you ever see such a
beauty in all your born days? No wonder that these
old jossers the Elders are anxious to keep the darling
alive — eh, what?"

As he spoke the faintest suspicion of a smile seemed
to flicker for a moment in the eyes of the Queen, but
Dick, who noticed it, thought it must have been pro-
voked by Malachi*s genuflexions as he performed the
ceremony of introduction, pointing to Dick first as the

Dick and Phil Prosper 253

physician, and then to Grosvenor as the friend who
had journeyed with him across the Great Water, and
who, happening in some mysterious way — which he,
Malachi, did not pretend to understand — to possess
some slight knowledge of the Izreelite tongue, would
act as interpreter between Her Majesty and the phy-
sician.

By the time that Malachi had finished his speech the
terrible listlessness and indifference of the Queen's man-
ner, which had for so many months been a source of
anxiety to the nation in general and the Elders and
nobles in particular, had completely vanished, and she
electrified the chief Elder by raising herself upon her
couch and bidding him imperiously to be gone and to
leave her alone with her ladies and the two strangers.
The poor old gentleman, his head dizzy with many
confiicting emotions, hastily bowed himself out, and
was halfway back to his own quarters in the Legis-
lature before he well knew whether he was on his
head or his heels.

The door had no sooner closed upon Malachi than
an extraordinary change took place in the appearance
and demeanour of the Queen ; the languor of her atti-
tude and the absolute listlessness and indifference with
which she had regarded her chief Elder vanished as if
by magic. Her eyes lit up eagerly, a wave of colour
suffused her hitherto marble-white cheeks and brow,
and, turning to her two visitors, she astounded them
by exclaiming in excellent English, with only a trace
of accent, as she stretched out her hands toward them :

** Gentlemen — gentlemen, are you indeed English, or
has my poor brain at last given way under the strain
of my terrible trouble?"

For a moment the friends were literally smitten

254 Adventures of Dick Maitland

speechless by astonishment; then Grosvenor, who was
the first to recover full possession of his faculties,
sprang forward and, sinking upon one knee, raised
one of the little outstretched hands respectfully to his
lips.

r

** Madam," he said, absent-mindedly retaining the
Queen's hand in his own as he still knelt before her,
*^we are indeed Englishmen, and entirely at your ser-
vice. There are but two of us, as you see; but you
have only to command us, and whatever two English-
men in the midst of thousands of enemies can do, that
will we do for you. Isn't that so, Dick?"

**It is, indeed," answered Dick, smiling at the pas-
sionate fervour of his friend's speech. "Your Majesty
has but to explain to us the nature of your trouble, and
it shall go hard indeed with us if we do not devise some
means to help you, especially as, unless I am entirely
mistaken, you are a countrywoman of our own. Get up,
Phil, and let Her Majesty tell us her story. And mind
your *P's' and *Q's', old man,'* he added in a low tone;
** don't let your sympathy and enthusiasm run away
with you, or you will be apt to excite possibly awkward
comment on the part of Her Majesty's ladies. You
have made some of them open their eyes pretty wide
already, I can assure you."

With a muttered ejaculation Grosvenor hastily
scrambled to his feet, while the Queen, beckoning to
two of her ladies, directed them to place a couple of
settees for her visitors close to her couch. Upon these
the two Englishmen seated themselves, in obedience to
a sign from Her Majesty, who thereupon addressed
them:

** I fear," said she, "that I shall find it quite impos-
sible to make you understand how astonished and how

Dick and Phil Prosper 255

glad I am to see you both. I am astonished, because
it is a law of this land that no aliens are ever permitted
to enter it — and live; and I am g-lad because you, like
myself, are English, and my dear mother taught me to
believe that Englishmen are always ready to help their
countrywomen in distress under all circumstances. And
I am in distress, the greatest distress that I suppose it
is possible for a woman to be in. But let me tell you
my story — it will not take long — and then perhaps you
will understand.

" I am twenty-three years of age, and of English
parentage. My father was an officer in the Indian
army, and for nearly four years my mother resided with
him at a little frontier post called Bipur. Then trouble
arose; the hill tribes in the neighbourhood of Bipur
committed certain excesses, and an expedition was
dispatched under my father's command. Fighting en-
sued, and my father was killed in one of the earliest
engagements that took place. There was now nothing
to keep my mother in India, therefore, as the climate
did not suit her, she made immediate arrangements to
return to England, taking passage in a sailing ship that
was proceeding home by way of the Cape, a long sea
voyage having been prescribed for the benefit of her
health.

** I do not know how it happened, nor did my mother,
but the ship was wrecked on the African coast, and
many lives were lost. My mother, however, happened
to be one of the saved; and she, with the rest of the

survivors, fell into the hands of certain natives who
surprised their camp on the beach in the dead of night.
The men of the party were all slain ; and what became
of the few women who survived I do not know, for my
mother never told me ; but she was brought by her

256 Adventures of Dick Maitland

captors to this country and presented to King Geshuri,
who made her his queen. Two months later I was
born; and my mother never had any other children.

**Five years ago King Geshuri died; and my mother
became the reigning monarch of the country, in accor-

r

dance with the Izreelite law. But she was never strong;
and three years ago she, too, died, leaving me abso-
lutely alone to govern this fierce, headstrong people
as best I could."

Here the Queen's emotion overcame her for a moment,
and she hid her face in her hands, while the tears welled
over and trickled through her fingers. Her distress
moved the young Englishmen powerfully, and they
began to murmur expressions of sympathy and assur-
ances of help. But, quickly recovering her composure,
the Queen resumed her narrative.

**That, however, is not what is troubling me, for my
mother, realizing that I must one day become a queen,
devoted herself entirely to educating me in such a
manner as to prepare me, as well as she could, for
the discharge of my difficult duties. Unfortunately,
we had no books, so my mother was compelled to
rely entirely upon her own knowledge and experience
in the matter of my education and training; but she
not only taught me the English language, but also
how to read and write it, spending many hours in
printing with her own hand long passages containing
maxims for my guidance, simply that I might have
the means of learning to read English books, should
ever any such fall into my hands.

"And now I come to the matter that is troubling me.

The Elders tell me that the time has arrived when I
must take to myself a husband; and they have sug-
gested — oh, I cannot tell you how many men! — Izreelite

Dick and Phil Prosper 257

nobles, of course — from whom I may make my choice.
But I do not like any of them ; there is not one among
them all whom I do not thoroughly detest, for they are
all fierce, arrogant, overbearing men who do not even
pretend that they have any desire to make me happy.
All they want is to be king, so that they may enjoy
the absolute power and authority of a monarch; for,
if I marry, my husband will at once become the ruler
of the country, according to the Izreelite law, and I
shall merely be his wife. Fortunately, I cannot be
compelled to marry, and I won't — I won't," with a
passionate little stamp of the foot, ** until I meet with
a man whom I can — can — love. But I know I shall
have no peace until I consent to marry somebody; the
Elders are wild with anxiety that I should choose a hus-
band ; they worry me every day, aye, and almost every
hour of the day, about it, until I am driven very nearly
out of my senses by the thought that, sooner or later, I
shall be constrained to become the wife of some man
whom I detest. That is my trouble, gentlemen; I
wonder if you are clever enough to devise a means
of helping me."

**Yes, Your Majesty, we are," answered Dick confi-
dently. ** I don't say that we already have a plan;
for that would be asserting far too much. But you
have told us the nature of your trouble, which of course
is the first thing that it is necessary for us to know;
and now we will lose no time in thinking out a remedy.
Trust to us, madam; we will not fail you. We have
practically pledged ourselves to spend the remainder of
our lives in your country — your Elders compelled us to
do that — and the removal of your trouble and the se-
curing of your happiness shall have precedence of every
other consideration with us."

( 327 ) 17

258 Adventures of Dick Maitland

The Queen's gratitude was so great that she seemed
scarcely able to find words in which to express her-
self adequately; it was almost painful to witness, so
eloquently did it testify to the desperation with which
she had been compelled to combat the suggestions
of unwelcome alliances with which she had been per-
petually harassed ; but she contrived to make it quite
clear that the arrival of the two Englishmen filled
her with renewed hope and a revived zest in life. " I
know," she said, **that it must sound unkind of me
to say so, but I cannot help being glad that you are
here; for now at last I feel that I have two friends
who will stand by me and help me to the utmost of
their ability. Besides,** she added delightedly, as the
thought came to her, **you will be companions for me.
I have been utterly lonely and friendless since my mother
died; but you will come to see me often — every day —
won't you? And we can walk and talk together, and
I can again be happy."

**Of course," answered Grosvenor eagerly. **You
may absolutely depend upon us both to do anything and
everything that you may ask of us. I believe we are
each to be assigned certain duties, which I suppose we
shall be expected to perform; but our first duty is to
you, our first care must be for your happiness, and, so
far as we can prevent it, you shall never again be
worried by those old jossers the Elders, or anybody
else. We have a few books among our baggage, and
as soon as it is delivered to us I will turn them out and
bring them over to you; and as to coming to see you,
why of course we shall be delighted to do so ; we will
come over every evening after our day's work is over.
Eh, Dick?"

"Certainly," answered Dick; *'or at least as often

Dick and Phil Prosper 259

as it may be prudent to do so. And now, madam,"
he continued, addressing the Queen, ** I think it will be
well that we should retire, for above all things else we
must carefully avoid anything and everything that may
excite suspicion or jealousy, and I imagine that both
might easily be aroused by a too-sudden appearance
of friendship between ourselves and Your Majesty. Be-
sides, Malachi the Elder will be anxiously awaiting our
report. But, as my friend has said, you may absolutely
rely upon our loyal friendship and our best help at all
times and seasons. Possibly we may be able to arrange
another call before the day is over; meanwhile I crave
Your Majesty's permission for us to retire. "

As Dick anticipated, they found the chief Elder
anxiously awaiting their return, eager to learn the
young doctor's opinion relative to the mental and
physical condition of the Queen; and Dick, with Phil
for his interpreter, was not slow to give it. Of
course, to his practised eye it had at once been evi-
dent that Queen Myra was simply being worried and
badgered and terrified out of her senses by these old
men who, with that idiotic prophecy dominating their
minds, desired one thing and one only, namely to see
the Queen married as speedily as possible to some-
body; but to whom it seemed that they cared very
little. Dick intended to put a stop to that at once;
he therefore directed Grosvenor to inform the Elder,
Malachi, that the Queen was in a most critical con-
dition, but that he could cure her, provided that his in-
structions were all implicitly obeyed, but not otherwise.
This last statement set the poor old Elder absolutely
quivering with apprehension ; but Dick was not worry-
ing overmuch about him or anybody else save the
Queen, and he contrived to frighten the unhappy Elder

26o Adventures of Dick Maitland

so thoroughly that at leng-th he unreservedly promised,
both for himself and everybody else, that the word
"marriage" should never again be spoken in Her Ma-
jesty's presence until Dick gave permission ; and he also
agreed that Dick should have an absolutely free hand
with regard to the Queen's treatment, the visitors
she should receive, the exercise she should take, and
so on ; thus providing for Dick's and Grosvenor's
free admission to the palace and the Queen's presence
as often as they chose.

This important matter settled, the friends retired to
their own quarters to talk matters over. They found
that all their various belongings had been brought
from the cell in which they had passed the previous
night, and were now carefully arranged in their own
private apartment. Grosvenor at once went to his
trunk, opened it, bundled its contents upon the floor,
and feverishly proceeded to sort out the half-dozen
books— novels, and two volumes of poems — which it
contained, exhorting Dick to do the same, in order that
"that poor girl" might be provided with a new form
of amusement with the least possible delay. It was
easy for Dick to perceive, from his companion's talk,
that the latter had been profoundly impressed by the
charms and the lonely state of the young Queen; and
Maitland quietly chuckled, as he reflected that Gros-
venor would never have seen her had he not fled
to South Africa for distraction from the smart of a
heart severely lacerated by some fickle fair one, who,
by the way, seemed now to be completely forgotten.
But he shook his head with sudden gravity, as his
thoughts travelled on into the future and he foresaw
the possibility of a mutual attachment springing up
between Phil and the Queen. That would be a com-

Dick and Phil Prosper 261

plication with a vengeance, and he determined quietly
to do everything in his power to prevent it.

■ ■ * * • * 4

The ensuing" six months passed with the rapidity
of a dream ; for no sooner had the two Englishmen
arranged matters relating to the Queen upon a satis-
factory basis than they discovered that there was
another cause for anxiety of the gravest character in
the behaviour of the savage nations that hemmed in
Izreel on every side. Hitherto these had been too
busily engaged in fighting each other to do more
than make desultory war upon the Izreelites; but now
news of an apparently reliable character came to Beth-
alia, the island city, to the effect that a certain king,
named Mokatto — a very shrewd fellow by all accounts
— had entered into friendly communication with the
rulers of the other nations whose countries bordered
on Izreel, and had pointed out the folly of fighting
each other for no particular reason, when, by uniting
their forces, they could attack the Izreelites, overwhelm
them, and divide their country equally among the
victors. This counsel, there was every reason to
believe, had been accepted ; for reports were almost
daily coming to hand of preparations which pointed
to nothing less than an impending attack upon Izreel
by the confederated kingdoms.

This was precisely what the Izreelites had always
feared more than any other earthly thing; and when
authentic intelligence began to arrive, pointing to the
conclusion that the long-feared attack was about to
be made, the Izreelites grew almost crazy with panic,
some of them contending that their gods were angry
at the admission of two aliens into the country, and
that the only way by which their anger could be ap-

262 Adventures of Dick Maitland

peased was by offering the strangers as a sacrifice
upon the great altar of the temple which formed the
top story of the Legislative building. This theory
took a very strong hold upon certain of the most
influential of the nobles, who quickly developed extreme
jealousy of the two strangers, whom they vaguely sus-
pected of being in some unexplained way inimical to
them and their interests ; and for a time Dick and
Grosvenor undoubtedly went in danger of their lives.

At length, however, this peril became so imminent
that the pair agreed to take the bull by the horns
and deal with it forthwith. They accordingly convened
a meeting of the Seven Elders and all the nobility, at
which Dick delivered an address, graphically describing
the danger in which the nation stood, and boldly assert-
ing that only he and Grosvenor could possibly avert it.

This, of course, was rather a staggering statement,
and one which the Izreelites were not at all disposed
to accept unquestioningly, or without proof. But Dick
was equal to the occasion. He and Grosvenor had
discussed the matter together, had decided upon their
plan of campaign, and the Opposition were silenced
by his first question.

**What do you suppose would happen to your
Queen," he demanded, **if you were unwise enough
to put us to death? I will tell you. She is now on
the highroad to recovery; but, deprived of our ministra-
tions, she would suff"er an immediate relapse, and die!
Do you need to be reminded of what would follow
upon that? If there is any truth in your ancient pro-
phecy the very thing that you most dread would im-
mediately happen. In other words, our destruction
would immediately be followed by that of the entire
nation.

Dick and Phil Prosper 263

**But, apart from that, our destruction would be the
gravest mistake that you could possibly make; for
we, who are natives of the greatest fighting nation
that the world has ever known, can teach you much
in the art of war, your knowledge of which is of the
slightest. Your weapons are poor and inefficient, and
you know nothing of strategy and generalship ; but we
can instruct you in those important matters, and also
teach you how to make new and powerful weapons,
by means of which you will be able effectually to
subjugate the nations which now threaten you. Say,
then, will you destroy us, and so involve yourselves
in irretrievable ruin? Or shall we teach you how to
emerge victoriously from the coming struggle with
your enemies?*'

There could be but one answer to such a question;
the jealousy of the nobles gave way to fear. They no
longer clamoured for the death of the Englishmen,
but, on the contrary, were as willing as the rest that
the strangers should be afforded every opportunity to
make good their boast, and from that moment Dick
and Grosvenor became virtually the Dictators of the
nation.

Their victory was perhaps the easier from the fact
that during the six months of their sojourn they had
already accomplished much. The Queen, for example,
enlivened and encouraged by the intimate companion-
ship of her two fellow countrymen, had gradually
thrown off the incubus of her terror, and was now
almost her former self again; while Grosvenor had
found congenial occupation in fitting the few craft upon
the lake with sails, and designing and building other
craft of greatly improved model, including half a dozen
cutters of the racing-yacht type, which he conceived

264 Adventures of Dick Maitland

would be exceedingly useful should the savages ever
again attempt, as they had done on several previous
occasions, to attack the island city. As for Dick, the
densely populated city alone provided him with more
patients than he could conveniently deal with; and
he had effected many remarkable cures.

One of the first things that particularly attracted the
attention of the two friends immediately upon their
arrival in Izreel was the inadequacy of the weapons — a
spear, or sheaf of spears, and a small round shield or
target — with which the people were armed; and this
they now proceeded to rectify by the general introduc-
tion of bows and arrows as an auxiliary to the spear
and shield. There was an abundance of suitable wood
for bows to be found in a forest on the inner slope
of the mountains on the mainland, while reeds suitable
for the shafts of arrows grew in inexhaustible quantities
along the margin of the lake; and when once a pattern
bow and arrow had been made, and a sufficiency of
wood and reeds provided, the furnishing of every man
with a good bow and quiverful of arrows was speedily
accomplished. There had at first been a difficulty in
the matter of arrowheads, but this had been overcome
by the discovery of an enormous deposit of flints — in
searching for which a rich mine of diamonds had

come to light.

The construction of his fleet and the training of their
crews having been accomplished, Grosvenor next took
the army in hand and proceeded to train it in the
use of the bow, succeeding at length, by dint of inde-
fatigable perseverance, in converting the soldiers into
an army of really brilliant marksmen.

This achievement brought the time on to nearly nine
months from the date of the adventurers* arrival in

Dick and Phil Prosper 265

Izreel, during the first eight months of which informa-
tion had come in from time to time which left no room
to doubt that the savages of the adjoining nations had
combined together and were making the most elaborate
preparations for a simultaneous attack upon Izreel from
all sides. Then the sources of information seemed to
suddenly dry up, and no news of any description
relative to the movements of the savages could be
obtained.

The Izreelites were disposed to regard this as a
favourable omen, many even asserting their conviction
that the savages had quarrelled among themselves, and
that attack from them was no longer to be feared ;
but Dick and Grosvenor took quite another view of
the matter. They regarded the cessation of news as
ominous in the extreme, and dispatched imperative
orders to the frontier for the maintenance of the utmost
vigilance, night and day. They also organized strong
relays of swift runners, radiating from various points
along the shore of the lake to those points where attack
might first be expected, in order that intelligence of
an invasion might be brought to the capital with the
utmost promptitude. The strength of the garrisons
in the outlying blockhouses was also doubled, which
were put under the command of the most resolute and
intelligent captains that could be found, with instruc-
tions that each post was to be stubbornly defended
until the enemy should threaten to surround it, when
it was to be abandoned, and the garrison — or what
might remain of it — was to retire inward to the next
post, and so on ; the various garrisons contesting every
inch of ground, cutting up the enemy as severely as
possible, and gradually retiring inward toward the lake
and Bethalia if they could not maintain their ground.

266 Adventures of Dick Maitland

These preparations did not take long to make, since
it was merely a matter of marching supplementary
troops to the frontier, and the provisioning of the
various blockhouses, fortified farms, castles, and
strongholds generally; and as the preparations had
all been made beforehand, a week sufficed to place
the entire nation on the defensive.

Still the task was accomplished none too soon, for
on the very day succeeding that upon which the pre-
parations for defence were completed, news arrived in
Bethalia that large bodies of savages had been seen
massing upon various parts of the border, while the
next day brought intelligence of attacks upon almost
every one of the outlying blockhouses, and of the
retirement of their respective garrisons after severe
fighting in which heavy loss had been sustained by
both sides. The invasion of Izreel had begun, and
was being prosecuted with relentless determination
and energy.

CHAPTER XVII

Victory, Triumph, and — the End

This grave news created the utmost consternation and
dismay among the Elders and nobles of Bethalia; for
they had, almost with one accord, persisted in believing
that at the last moment the savages had shrunk from
the contest. There was, however, one solitary crumb
of comfort in the news that now came almost hourly
from the front, which was that, severely as the
Izreelites had suffered, the enemy had suffered ten
times more severely, having been kept completely at
arm's length, so long as the defenders' stock of arrows
had lasted, and that it was only when these had be-
come exhausted that the savages had succeeded in
storming the blockhouses and driving out the de-
fenders. This contained a lesson that Grosvenor and
Dick were quick to profit by, and no sooner did the
news come to hand than every available person was
set to work manufacturing arrows, thousands of which
were daily dispatched to the front.

Thus far the two Englishmen had remained at
Bethalia, receiving news and directing operations from
there, at the urgent request of the Elders; but as in-
telligence continued to arrive from the front reporting
the presence of the enemy in overwhelming numbers,
and the retirement of garrison after garrison, with
details of terrific fighting in every direction, it was

267

268 Adventures of Dick Maitland

not to be supposed that Dick and Grosvenor would
consent to remain tamely pent up in the city, while
the chance of their lives was beckoning them from a
distance that could now be covered on horseback in
a couple of days' smart riding-. They consequently
induced the armourers of the town to knock them
out a couple of makeshift sabres, which they intended
to take with them in addition to their revolvers and
magazine rifles, and announced their intention of pro-
ceeding forthwith to the front.

But had a bombshell exploded and blown to pieces
the temple that formed the top story of the House
of Legislature, or unroofed the palace, it could scarcely
have produced a more tremenduous effect, or created
greater consternation, than did this simple announce-
ment. The Elders were convinced that if the guiding
spirits of the campaign were ever permitted to take
the field they would inevitably be slain and the end
of all things would come. The nobles were animated
by pretty much the same uncomfortable conviction;
and as for the Queen, when, despite the remonstrances
and entreaties of the Elders and nobles, Dick and
Grosvenor presented themselves at the palace to bid
Her Majesty farewell, she promptly ordered the arrest
of the pair, and gave them their choice of being con-
fined close prisoners, or pledging their word of honour
to abandon their intention ! It was in vain that the
culprits pleaded, argued, and drew the most harrow-
ing pictures of what must inevitably happen if they
were not allowed to proceed to the front and person-
ally supervise operations. The Queen turned a deaf
ear to all that they said ; positively refused to give
her consent; entreated and upbraided in her turn;
and, finally, bursting into a passion of tears, declared

The End 269

that if anything were to happen to Phil she would
die! At which statement Grosvenor incontinently took
the young lady in his arms, kissed her, soothed her
back into self-possession again, and vowed with ardour
that if that was how she felt about it he was more
than content to remain behind and look after her, pro-
vided that she would allow Dick to go. To which
compromise she at once smilingly assented. For such
is the selfishness of lovers I

The murder was out at last, and the precise thing
had happened which Dick had foreseen, and had vowed
to prevent, if possible, because of the terrible compli-
cations which, as he believed, must inevitably ensue.
These two had fallen in love with each other, and the
chances were that, as soon as the news reached the
ears of the already jealous nobles, Grosvenor and Dick
would be ** removed", either openly or privately, while
the Queen would at once be ruthlessly forced into the
kind of marriage that she had all along regarded with
such utter dread and detestation.

Here was a pretty kettle of fish! and occurring,
too, at such a terribly inopportune moment. Yet, as
Dick moodily reflected, while being ferried across to
the mainland in one of Grosvenor's new, fast-sailing
cutters, perhaps the moment might not be so very
inopportune after all. It was a fact that, under the
able leadership of Mokatto, the savages were pressing
Izreel as it had never before been pressed within its
recorded history. Izreel was now literally fighting for
its life, its very existence; and if, through the help
of the two Englishmen, the country should by any
chance win out and achieve a decisive victory over
her combined enemies, it was just possible that grati
tude, that rarest of human sentiments, might take the

270 Adventures of Dick Maitland

form of forgiveness, if nothing more; in which case
there was perhaps a bare possibility that Grosvenor
and Dick might be released from their oath and per-
^nitted to return to their own country. But it was
doubtful, Dick decided, very doubtful; and his medi-
tations assumed a distinctly gloomy tone as, having
arrived on the mainland, he hunted up Mafuta and
explained to that jubilant savage that they were about
to proceed to the front and take part in the fighting.

To attempt anything even remotely resembling a
detailed account of Dick Maitland's adventures during
the ensuing three weeks would be impossible, for they
were numerous and exciting enough to demand an
entire volume to do justice to them. It must suffice
to say that during that eventful period the youngster
saw enough fighting to satisfy him for the remainder
of his life — desperate, ferocious, hand-to-hand fighting,
in which neither side ever dreamed of asking or giving
quarter, in which a disabling wound was immediately
followed by death upon the spearpoints of the enemy,
and the salient characteristics of which were continuous
ear-splitting yells, the shrill whistling of the savages,
the rumbling thunder of thousands of fiercely rushing
feet, blinding clouds of dust through which there ap-
peared a phantasmagoria of ferocious countenances,
gnashing teeth, glaring eyeballs, the ruddy flash of
ensanguined spearpoints, hurtling knobkerries and
whirling warclubs, upthrown arms, clenched fists, reel-
ing bodies, the shout of triumph and the short, quick
gasp that followed the homethrust of the stabbing
spear. This was the kind of thing that marked the
end of each day^s fight when, the stock of the Izreelites*
arrows being exhausted, it became necessary at last
to evacuate a stubbornly held position and to retire

The End 271

before the overwhelming hordes of savages that, de-
spite the frightful losses sustained by them in the
course of each day*s fighting, seemed daily to increase
in numbers as the encircling cloud of them contracted
with the daily retirement of the defenders towards the
lake.

As for Dick, he seemed to bear a charmed life; for
although he fearlessly exposed himself, day after day,
wherever the fighting happened to be fiercest and most
stubborn, he had thus far received no hurt more serious
than a mere scratch or two, and a rather severe con-
tusion from the blow of a knobkerrie that had all but
unhorsed him; but this immunity may have been due,
at least in part, to the fact that Mafuta was always
unobtrusively close at hand, ready to guard his be-
loved young master, aye, and even to lay down his
life for him, if necessary.

Those were strenuous days indeed for all concerned,
and especially for the defenders ; for the fighting usually
began with the dawn, and continued all through the
day as long as there was light enough to distinguish
friend from foe ; while, so far as the Izreelites were
concerned, they were obliged to maintain a watch all
through the hours of darkness, in order to be prepared
for the surprise night attacks which the savages sprang

upon them from time to time, with the obvious purpose
of exhausting the defenders' strength.

But while Mokatto and the other savage kings who
had thrown in their lot with him for the purpose of
"eating up" the Izreelites, and partitioning their coun-
try, were solacing themselves with the assurance that,
despite their frightful daily losses in men, they were
winning all along the line, Dick was artfully drawing
them after him into the heart of the chain of moun-

272 Adventures of Dick Maitland

tains that encircled the lake and the island city of Beth-
alia. These mountains, or hills rather — for they were
scarcely lofty enough to be worthy of the more impos-
ing* appellation — were of an exceptionally rugged anc
precipitous character, to such an extent, indeed, thai
they were absolutely impassable except at four points,
where the natural features had been so far improved
upon that passes of a sort — narrow ledges for the mosi
part, bounded on one side by a vertical, unclimbabk
face of rock and upon the other by an appalling chasm —
had been painfully hewn out of the stubborn granite;
and it was in the direction of these four passes thai
young Maitland was now retiring in excellent order,
and enticing the enemy to follow him. For it was in
these passes that he expected to win the victory which
he intended to convert finally into a complete, disas-
trous, panic-stricken rout of the enemy. To this end
he had already made certain preparations, for news
of the completion of which he was anxiously waiting.
And at length the news came; whereupon, having dis-
patched to the commanders at the other three points
identical sets of instructions, of a sufficiently elastic
character to leave plenty of scope for initiative on the
part of the leaders, he summoned the commanders oi
his own division to his tent as soon as the day's
fighting was over, and, having carefully and full})
explained his plans to them, gave them explicit in-
structions regarding their conduct upon the following
day, and dismissed them. Then, mounting his tired
horse, Dick rode off up the pass at a footpace,
closely followed by the faithful Mafuta, who, dog-
tired though he was after many long days of strenu-
ous fighting, chuckled grimly as his young master
unfolded his plan of campaign.

The End 273

The fightings which began with dawn upon the fol-
lowing morning was of a somewhat different char-
acter from that of the preceding days ; for hitherto the
Izreelites had always begun the day behind the shelter
of stone walls of some sort, from which it had taken
the best part of the day to dislodge them, and from
which, when dislodged, they had been wont to retreat
in more or less good order to the next stronghold in
their rear. But now the last of these fortified positions
had been abandoned and the Izreelite armies had re-
tired — or been driven back, as the enemy firmly believed
— into the mouths of the four passes which led across
the hills to the lake and Bethalia. They had not only
entered the mouths of the passes, but had retired into
them, until they had reached certain spots where the
natural configuration of the surrounding hills was of

such a character as to constitute the position a natural

fortress capable of being held and defended by a com-
paratively small body of men ; and here they halted
and lighted their watch fires. The enemy also halted,
about half a mile lower down the pass, and, as soon
as it was dark, sent out a number of scouts with in-
structions to search for a way by which the savages
might slip past during the night, and get round to the
rear of the Izreelites. Some of those scouts never
returned to their camp; those who did reported that
the task assigned to them had proved an impossible
one, for that, after climbing laboriously and at the
risk of their necks for varying distances, they had all,
without exception, arrived at a point where farther
progress was impossible and retreat scarcely less so.
Meanwhile, the Izreelite watch fires, the foremost line
of which happened to be at a turn of the pass, just
where they were well within sight of the enemy, were

(C327) 18

274 Adventures of Dick Maitland

kept brilliantly burning all through the night, evidenc-
ing an untiring vigilance on the part of the Izreelite
outposts, w^ho could be seen, by the light of the fires,
moving about from time to time.

But when at length the first rays of the morning
sun smote the topmost ridges of the hills and came
stealing down their sides, arousing the combatants to
another day of sanguinary strife, behold ! there were no
Izreelites to be seen in the neighbourhood of the still
briskly blazing fires, nor could the fresh scouts which
were promptly sent out find any trace of them. Then
Mokatto, suspecting an ambush, sent forward other
scouts, in relays, with orders to advance up the pass
— each relay keeping the one next before it in sight—
until the leading band should regain touch with the
enemy, when a single scout was to return with the
intelligence. But, strange to say, the single scout did
not return ; and when at length the fiery chief, losing
patience at the absence of all news, gave orders for
a general advance up the pass, the impi who led the
way soon discovered the reason, for they came upon
the bodies of those scouts, one after the other, lying
in the narrowing roadway, each with an arrow through
his heart, evidently shot from some spot near at hand,
but quite inaccessible from the roadway itself.

Yet still no enemy was to be seen, no sign of his
presence to be discovered, until Mokatto, leading his
contingent and advancing with the utmost caution,
reached the summit of the pass, when he found that
the narrow roadway, at a point where it turned sharply
round an elbow, had been broken down for a distance
of some fifty feet, until only space enough was left for
men to pass in single file. And as the first man essayed
the passage of this perilous path and attempted to work

The End 275

his precarious way round the perpendicular buttress of
rock that formed the elbow, a spear, wielded by an
unseen hand, was observed to dart forward and bury
itself deep in his naked breast, and the next moment
he went hurtling downward off the narrow ledge into
the ghastly abyss that yawned beside him. And as it
was with the first man so was it with those who fol-
lowed him in the desperate attempt to round that fatal
elbow, until even Mokatto himself, fearless and reso-
lute warrior as he was, was fain reluctantly to admit
that farther progress, by that way at least, was im-
possible.

There was nothing for it but to call a halt, and consider
what was the next thing to be done. To advance was
impossible; to retreat was equivalent to an acknowledg-
ment of defeat, which, after the frightful losses already

sustained by the savages, would probably result in them
rising upon their leaders and slaying them in revenge
for having fomented so disastrous a war; while a very
brief inspection of their surroundings sufficed to con-
vince them that nothing without wings could possibly
surmount that vertical rock on the one hand, or descend
that awful precipice on the other. Yet, as they looked,
the savage warriors became aware that somewhere there
must be a path to the top of the rock, for they caught
sight first of one, then of another, and then of many
Izreelites peering down upon them from above. Then,
suddenly, there came hurtling down from the summit
of the rock, some five hundred feet above the heads of
the savages, a shower of stones, not very big, yet big
enough, falling from that height, to dash a man's brains
out, smash an arm or a leg like a dried twig, or send
him reeling off the narrow pathway to the depths below.
The word was given to retire. There was no other

276 Adventures of Dick Maitland

course open to the invaders, for obviously it was worse
than useless to stand huddled helplessly together upon
that narrow pathway and suffer themselves to be de-
stroyed without the ability to strike a blow in self-
defence — and the retreat down the pass began. Then,
with the first rearward movement, the air, pent in
between the rocky walls of that savag^e gorge, began to
vibrate with a most dreadful outcry of shrieks, shouts,
and yells of dismay and panic; for, as though at some
preconcerted signal, a devastating shower of great

boulders came pouring over the crest of the cliff above
the pass, crushing men into unrecognizable fragments
or hurling them by hundreds over the edge of the
narrow pathway. Moreover this state of affairs pre-
vailed not at one isolated spot only, but all along the
road, as far as it was occupied by the battalions of the
savages. There was a moment of helpless confusion,
during which those who were fortunate enough to have
escaped the first effects of that terrible shower stood,
stricken motionless and dumb, gazing as in a dream
at the frightful, overwhelming destruction that had
come upon them in that awful gorge. Then blind,
raging panic seized upon the survivors, who turned and
fled shrieking down the pass, intent only upon escap-
ing from the ceaseless pounding of that merciless hail
of boulders, madly fighting for precedence with their
equally panic-stricken comrades, savagely grappling
with those who happened to be in front of them im-
peding their passage, and either hurling them, or being
themselves hurled, into the ravine that gaped to receive
them.

The scene was appalling beyond all possibility of
description; it was not a defeat only, it was not even
merely a disastrous rout, it was practically annihila-

The End 277

tion ; for of the thousands of savages who entered that
pass — that awful deathtrap — on that fatal day, only
hundreds emerged from it again ; and they were so
utterly demoralized and unnerved with terror that no
thought of rallying or making a stand ever entered
their minds ; they simply ran blindly ahead until they
fell exhausted, and there lay, absolutely heedless of
what might befall them. And as it was with Mokatto
and his legions in the one pass, so was it with the
chiefs and those who followed them in the other three
passes; many of the leaders — Mokatto himself among
others— were numbered among the slain ; and there
seemed to be nobody to take the lead or to assume
command. The invading armies had been practically
wiped out, and the few survivors had degenerated into
a flying, panic-stricken mob dominated only by the one

idea of escape into the comparative safety of their own
land.

As for the Izreelites, infuriated at the wanton invasion
of their country, and fully realizing what would have
been their own fate had the savages chanced to have
been the victors, they relentlessly pursued the flying
enemy during the whole of their retreat down the
passes, and would doubtless have destroyed them to
the very last man had not Dick personally, and by
means of imperative messages persistently reiterated,
stayed the slaughter, by pointing out that the victory
was too decisive and complete for further aggression
to ever again become a possibility; and that a too
relentless pursuit of already desperate men could but
result in a further loss of life among the Izreelites them-
selves. Even this representation, forcibly as it appealed
to a people who regarded the lives of their menkind
as the most precious possession of the nation, scarcely

278 Adventures of Dick Maitland

sufficed to curb their lust for further slaughter, for they
had become, for the moment, human tigers who, having
tasted blood, abandoned their prey only with the utmost
reluctance and with much savage snarling of discontent
and disappointment. But at length the obvious sound-
ness of Dick's reasoning gained recognition and accept-
ance by the Izreelite chiefs, who finally persuaded their
followers to content themselves with the mere ejectment
of the insignificant remnants of the enemy beyond the
frontier.

Meanwhile Dick, having paid a flying visit to Bethalia,
to satisfy himself that all was well in that quarter,
made arrangements for the immediate reconstruction of
those portions of the roads through the passes that had
been broken down, in order to check the advance of
the invaders. This was temporarily accomplished by
the building of rough bridges across the gaps; but, fully
recognizing how important a part had been played by
those gaps, he sketched out a scheme whereby they
should be made permanent, spanned by substantial
drawbridges, and defended at the inner extremity by
strongly fortified gateways. This scheme he laid before
the Elders, who immediately approved of it, and ulti-
mately the work was carried out.

But long before that many things had happened. In
the first place the victorious Izreelites, having shep-
herded the last of the fugitives over the border, had
returned in triumph, each to his own home, and had
set to work to repair the devastation wrought by the
fighting on the lands that lay outside the circle of the
protecting hills. This was considerably less than had
been anticipated; for, so certain had Mokatto and his
colleagues been of victory that they had issued the most
stringent orders against any wanton destruction of pro-

The End 279

perty, the result being that such damage as had accrued
had only amounted to what was inevitable in the course
of a stubbornly contested fight; and that did not amount
to very much where neither of the combatants possessed
guns or other battering paraphernaHa of any descrip-
tion.

The return of the triumphant army to Bethalia was
a pageant exceeding in gorgeousness of display and
general enthusiasm anything that had ever before oc-
curred within the memory of any living inhabitant of
the city. The regular troops were comparatively few
in number, every male Izreelite being armed and liable
to be called upon for active service, should occasion for
such service arise; but the paucity of numbers was an
altogether insignificant detail; the one thing that was
of importance, and counted, was that they had fought
and signally defeated a force of overwhelming numerical

superiority, and inflicted upon their immemorial enemy
a blow of such crushing severity that a lasting peace
was now assured. Little wonder that the people so
recently hag-ridden with a perpetual fear, that often
approached perilously close to panic, scarcely knew
how to give adequate expression to the feeling of joy
and relief that now possessed them, and were just a
little inclined to become extravagantly demonstrative.
The troops, conveyed across from the mainland in
boats, and landed at the one grand flight of steps
which aff'orded the solitary means of access to the
island, were marched through the city to the palace and
the House of Legislature, where they received the thanks
of the Queen and the Elders for their gallantry; and at
the last moment it was made known to Dick — to his
secret but profound annoyance and discomfiture — that
nothing would satisfy the populace but that he, as the

28o Adventures ot Dick Maitland

one hero, par excellence^ of the brief but sanguinary war,
must head the troops, mounted on the horse that had
carried him so gallantly and well in the press of battle!
He would willingly have avoided the distinction if it
aad been possible, and had indeed fully intended to
absent himself from all active participation in the
pageant; but a note from Grosvenor, informing him
that the idea had really originated with Queen Myra,
and that Her Majesty would be intensely disappointed
if he refused, caused him good-naturedly to set his

own feelings on one side for the nonce and consent to
become a puppet for once in a way. Accordingly he
was the first warrior to pass through the gateway
which gave access to the interior of the town, and as
he emerged from the shadow of the arch into the
dazzling sunshine that flooded the streets he was met
by a choir of some sixty young women arrayed in gala
attire, crowned with roses, and wearing garlands of
flowers round their necks, who, forming up at the head
of the procession, led the way, some singing a hymn of
triumph, rejoicing, and glorification of the victors, while
others accompanied them on flutes, flageolets, and cym-
bals. But this was not all. As Dick, blushing furiously
and feeling more uncomfortable than he ever before
remembered, emerged from the gateway, two maidens
stepped forward, one from each side of the way, and
while one deftly twined a garland of roses round the
horse's neck, the other, catching the lad's hand, gently
drew him down and caused him to bend in the saddle
sufficiently to permit her to cast a similar garland round
his neck!

It was a distinctly embarrassing situation for a
modest young Englishman to find himself in, but as
he heard the shouts of greeting and acclamation that

The End 281

rang out from the throats of the jubilant crowd who
thronged the streets, and realized that all this was
but the outward expression of a very real and deep
feelingf of gratitude for important services rendered,
he put his embarrassment on one side, and bowed
and smiled his acknowledgments, to the frantic delight
of the spectators.

In this fashion, then, the troops paraded the principal
streets of the city, while young girls and tiny children
strewed flowers before them in the roadway, and the
populace cheered and applauded, until the spacious
park in which stood the palace and the House of Legis-
lature was reached, when a halt was called before the
principal entrance of the palace, where the Queen, once
more in radiant health, came forth and, in a few well-
chosen words, expressed her fervent giatitude to all

the brave men who had borne themselves so nobly
and gallantly in the defence of their country, winding
up with an expression of admiration and sorrow for
the fallen, and of sympathy for those whom the relent-
less cruelty of war had bereaved of their nearest and
dearest.

Then Malachi and his fellow Elders appeared and
pronounced a long oration of a very similar character,

but going somewhat more into detail. He dwelt par-
ticularly upon the fierce, undying animosity with which
the savages of the surrounding nations had regarded
the presence of the Izreelites in the country from time
immemorial, reminded his hearers of the state of almost
perpetual warfare in which the nation had lived through
the ages, and described the recent attack as the most
virulent and determined that they had ever experienced,
being nothing less than a carefully elaborated and well-
ordered plan for their complete extermination. Then

282 Adventures of Dick Maitland

he touched upon the arrival of the two young Eng-lish-
men in the country, spoke of the law prohibiting the
admission of strangers, and fully explained the reasons
which had led to an exception being made in their
case, and congratulated himself and everybody else upon
the happy issue of that exception, going on to say
that but for the warlike knowledge and skill of the
visitors, and the superlative importance of the parts
which they had played in planning and carrying out
the scheme of defence, that day of triumph and glory
for Izreel would never have dawned. And he wound
up by saying that, in acknowledgment and recognition
of the enormously important and valuable services
which these young men had rendered to the nation,
he and his fellow Elders had felt it to be their duty
to recommend the Queen to confer upon both the
honour and distinction accompanying the title of
Princes.

A roar of delighted approval greeted this peroration;
and if perchance there happened to be here and there
a noble or two who regarded with disapprobation the
bestowal of this unique honour upon aliens, they were
too prudent to permit that disapprobation to be sus-
pected, in view of the apparently universal popularity
of the act.

The Queen, acutely conscious of the fact that she
contemplated a step, the effect of the announcement
of which it was utterly impossible to foresee, and
quick to recognize that the popularity of Grosvenor
and Dick would probably never be greater than it was
at that moment, determined to make the utmost of
the opportunity; and, upon the occasion of the public
investiture of the newly created princes, electrified
everybody present by calmly announcing — in a manner

The End 283

which seemed to suggest that she was doing some-
thing which she was certain would meet with the
full and unanimous approval of her people — that it
was her intention to espouse Prince Philip as soon as
the necessary preparations for the ceremony could be
made!

The announcement was followed by silence so tense
that, to make use of a much hackneyed expression,
one might have heard a pin drop, and it lasted so
long that the Queen grew white to the lips, and her
eyes began to glitter ominously. Was it possible that

y

the nobles — who but for the military genius of Phil
and Dick would now in all probability have been, with
herself, captives in the hands of the savages — were
going to show themselves so selfishly ungrateful as to
disapprove of her choice? An impatient stamp of her
little foot on the dais, and a defiant upward toss of
her head seemed to threaten an outburst that would
probably have caused the ears of those present to
tingle, when somebody — whose identity was never
established — began to applaud vociferously. The ap-
plause was almost instantly taken up by another, and
another, and others, until within a moment or two
the vast chamber was ringhig and vibrant with the
expressions of approval and rejoicing. The verdict,
though delayed, perhaps, a second or two too long
for Her Majesty's entire liking, was decisive, unmis-
takable, and not to be gainsaid; and if there were
any present who recognized that it meant the final
collapse of certain cherished ambitions of their own,
they were wise enough to say nothing about it.

But although the Queen's choice of a husband was
thus ratified by the only section of her subjects who
might possibly have raised objections to it, a great

284 Adventures of Dick Maitland

deal of exceedingly delicate negotiation and arrange-
ment was found to be necessary, and a number of
quite unexpected difficulties and hitches arose, before the
path to the hymeneal altar was made perfectly smooth
for the royal lovers; while, on the other hand, as the
negotiations and arrangements progressed, it grew
increasingly clear that a man possessed of Grosvenor's
outside knowledge and experience was infinitely prefer*
able, from the point of view of the national advantage,
as a ruler, to even the most powerful and influential
of the Izreelite nobles. By the time, therefore, that
everything was settled, approval had become intensified
into delight, and there was every prospect that Phil's
reign would be a highly popular one. Then, in due
time, came the marriage, which may be dismissed
with the mere mention of the fact, since this makes
no pretence to being a love story.

But although even a royal wedding may possess little
or no interest for those for whose entertainment this
story is written, it had a most important effect upon
the fortunes of those whose adventures are here set
forth. For, by the Izreelite law, it not only made
Philip Grosvenor the Consort of the Queen, but it
also put into his hands the actual government of the
nation; it made him, in fact, the King, an absolute
monarch, with power to shape and control the destinies
of the nation as seemed to him good; with nobody
to say him nay, whatever the nature of the decrees
he might promulgate, and to whom even the Queen
herself became subject. Then, with regard to Dick
Maitland, it will be remembered that he, as well as
Grosvenor, had been compelled to take an oath that
he would never seek to leave the country without the
royal assent. But, now that Phil was King, that

The End 285

assent was, of course, to be obtained easily enough;
and obtained it was, as soon as the wedding was
over and Grosvenor was securely installed in his
new position. For, whatever inducements there might
be for Phil to pass the remainder of his life in the
strange, scarcely -heard-of land of the Izreelites, no
such inducements existed in the case of Dick Mait-
land, who was now all impatience to return to
England and provide for the welfare of his mother —
if, haply, she still survived.

Accordingly, having in due form sought and ob-
tained the royal assent to his departure from Izreel,
Dick lost no time in completing his preparations for
the long and perilous journey that lay before him.
And, first of all, he presented Leo — now nearly full-
grown and, thanks to careful and judicious training,
a most amiable, docile, and affectionate beast — to
Queen Myra, as the most cherished possession it was
in his power to offer her. Of the horses which they
had brought with them into the country he kept only
the one which King Lobelalatutu had given him,
leaving the rest with Phil — there being no horses in
Izreel. Ramoo Samee, being given his choice, elected
to remain in Izreel, in the capacity of stud groom;
but Mafuta, Jantje, and *Nkuku returned with Dick,
as a matter of course. And, as a measure of pre-
caution, Grosvenor arranged for an escort of five
hundred Izreelite warriors to accompany the wagon
through the country immediately on the other side of
the border; for although the savage inhabitants had
received such terrible chastisement that they were
scarcely likely to interfere with anyone coming from
Izreel, it was deemed wisest to run no risk of a
possible hostile demonstration.

286 Adventures of Dick Maitland

At length the day and hour of parting came, and
Dick, fully equipped for his journey, presented himself
at the palace to say farewell. The moment was not
without its emotions, for although it had already been
planned that at no very distant date Maitland should
revisit Izreel, bringing with him certain matters which
Grosvenor felt it would be highly desirable for him to
possess as monarch of a people of such great potential
possibilities as the Izreelites, both remembered that the
journey from Bethalia to the nearest confines of civili-
zation was a long and arduous one, bristling with
perils of every imaginable kind, and who could say
that it would be accomplished in safety, or, if accom-
plished, could be repeated? For life is too full of
chances for a man to make plans for the future, with
any certainty that he will be able to carry them out.
Therefore, when these two adventurous sons of the
most adventurous nation on earth finally clasped hands
and said their last words of farewell, though those
words were entirely cheery and optimistic, the voices
which spoke them were a little husky with feeling,
and the firm, strong hand- grip was lingering, and
relaxed with much reluctance.

Dick's ride from the palace through the town to the
point of embarkation for the mainland was one long,
unbroken ovation ; for there had now been time for
the people to recognize, and also to appreciate, the
many fine qualities of the young Englishman's char-
acter; realization of the enormous debt which they
owed to him and to his friend, their new king, had
come to them, and they were as unfeignedly sorry to
witness his departure from among them as a naturally
unemotional people could well be.

As he stepped into the swift-sailing cutter which

The End 287

was to convey him across to the mainland, where the
wagon, already inspanned, was awaiting him, a letter
was handed to him by one of two men who had just
carefully deposited in the boat a well -filled leather
portmanteau bearing Grosvenor*s initials. The letter
ran thus:

"Dear old Chap,

**The portmanteau which accompanies this note
contains Myra*s and my own parting gift to you, in
the shape of the finest diamonds which a gang of
twenty men have been able to extract from the newly
discovered mine during the last month. They are
quite valueless to us, it is true, but in the dear old
country to which you are bound they ought, even
apart from the rubies which you are taking back, to

make you one of the most wealthy men in the world.

May God grant you health and long life to enjoy that
wealth, and to employ it — as we know you will — in
ameliorating the lot of those who are worse off than
yourself! We confidently look forward to your return
to Izreel in the course of the next year or two ; but
should unkind fortune forbid that return, think of us
occasionally, and remember that in the far interior of
Africa there are two hearts in which your memory
will be cherished so long as life shall last.

*' Yours, in undying friendship,

**Phil."

My story is told. It only remains to add that,
some six months later, Dick Maitland arrived safely
in England, with all his treasure intact, just in time
to rescue his mother from the grip of destitution that
was on the point of closing relentlessly upon her, and

288 Adventures of Dick Maitland

to place her in a position of such absolute safety and
luxury that it was months before the dear old lady
could persuade herself it was not all a tantalizing
dream, from which she would sooner or later awake to
again find herself face to face with the ever-recurring,
harassing, heart-breaking problem of ways and means,
and the even more painful state of anxiety and uncer-
tainty concerning the whereabouts of her son that had
so worried and distressed her during the past year.

As for Doctor Julian Humphreys, Dick nearly drove
the good man crazy with delight by placing to his credit
at the bank a sum so stupendous that he might have
spent the rest of his days in riotous luxury, had he so
chosen. But that was not Humphreys' way at all;
his heart was set upon the relief of those who suffered
the keen pangs of poverty through no fault of their
own ; and he thenceforth enjoyed the pleasure of doing
good to the top of his bent, retaining his modest estab-
lishment at 19 Paradise Street, but greatly enlarging
his surgery, stocking it abundantly with every drug,
instrument, and appliance that could possibly ameliorate
pain or heal disease, and continuing enthusiastically
to practise medicine and surgery among the poor,
without fee or reward of any sort, save an occasional
expression of gratitude from some more than usually
appreciative patient.